A CHRISTMAS LESSON by Tom Krause

"Is there a purpose? Why are we here?"

A little boy asked as the yuletide drew near.

"I really do hope that someday I will know

The reason we stand out here in the snow,

Ringing this bell as people walk by

While snowflakes descend from out of the sky."

The mother just smiled at her shivering son

Who would rather be playing and having some fun,

But soon would discover before evening was done

The meaning of Christmas, the very first one.

The young boy exclaimed, "Mother, where do they go,

All the pennies we collect every year in the snow?

Why do we do it? Why do we care?

We work for these pennies, so why should we share?"

"Because once a small baby, so meek and so mild

Was born in a manger," She said to the child.

"The Son of a King was born in this way,

To give us the message He carried that day."

"You mean Baby Jesus?

Is He why we're here,

Ringing this bell at Christmas time every year?"

"Yes," said the mother. "That is why you should know

About the very first Christmas a long time ago."

"The present God gave to the world on that night

Was the gift of His Son to make everything right.

Why did He do it? Why did He care?

To teach about loving and how we should share."

"The meaning of Christmas, you see, my dear son,

Is not about presents and just having fun.

But the gift of a Father—His own precious Son—

So the world would be saved when His work was all done."

Now the little boy smiled with a tear in his eye,

As snowflakes kept falling from out of the sky—

Rang louder the bell as the people walked by

While down deep in his heart at last he knew why.

By Tom Krause