Walking by the table where my nativity was displayed, I paused. My grandson, Logan, was quietly playing with the wise men, camels, sheep, and donkey; as I had told him he could. He had moved the hay from the “barn” and back into the “barn” with his green John Deere tractor several times.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about that at first. The mess and all. But then I realized…what else would a three year old think you were supposed to do with hay. However, then I noticed baby Jesus wasn’t in His manger.
Before I could say, “Where is baby Jesus,” I spied Him…perched behind the yellow steering wheel of the John Deere. My first reaction was to blurt, “That is sacrilegious! Get Jesus off the tractor and back into the manger!” Instead, I held my tongue and watched Logan gently guide the tractor across the table, carefully holding baby Jesus in place. It was then I realized that Logan was giving Jesus great honor. He was letting Jesus drive his John Deere. Instead of correcting Logan, I found myself saying, “You’re so sweet to share your tractor with baby Jesus.” In Logan’s mind, he had probably thought, “Why would Jesus want to lay on hay when He could drive a tractor?”
I LEARNED 2 LESSONS FROM LOGAN THAT DAY
The first lesson is that I’m too narrow minded about the ways that I think to honor Jesus. Watching Logan play, I realized I should invite Jesus into more of my daily activities. Why should I “shelf” Him when He wants to be a part of all the aspects of my life?
Second, I began wondering if I truly let Jesus “drive my tractor;” – my day. Logan placed Jesus in a premiere position: behind the wheel of his favorite toy. “Do I place Jesus in a premiere place, or do I just take Him along for the ride?” I asked myself.
As we wake each day to the fun, yet stresses of the holiday season, perhaps it’s good for us to consider our day. Do our children see us letting Jesus “drive our tractor”? Or, do they see us fretting over the “hay” stacks of the day?
It’s never to late to place Jesus in the premiere spot – behind the wheel.
“Glory to God in the highest,” Luke 2:14a
Prepare YOUR heart and your child’s heart for Christmas.
READ MORE by Debbie Taylor Williams: * Marriage & Parenting Tips * The PLAN A MOM in a PLAN B WORLD. Like her ministry page on FACEBOOK and TWITTER.
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