Village Shepherd

The youth group wanted to express their Christianity in a practical way and hit upon a brilliant idea. They would take Christmas decorations round to the house of elderly parishioners and put up the decorations so that the elderly people could enjoy all the trappings of Christmas. The Youth leader suggested caution, since she realized that a bunch of teenagers arriving on the doorstep might upset some of the elderly. She decided to approach the minister to ask him to talk to the elderly folk first and to gain their agreement. This he agreed to do and he furnished the group with the name and address of one elderly couple who had been strong church members in their day but who were now too frail to attend church.

There was great excitement in the youth group. At last they were giving practical expression to their faith and helping other people. They collected together all the decorations and sticky tape needed and set off. But when the elderly couple opened the door, bewilderment was written all over their faces.

"We're the group that the minister mentioned to you," explained the youth leader, who was only young herself. "We've come to put up Christmas decorations for you."

"But we don't want any Christmas decorations," protested the old lady. "Besides, who would take them down?"

Caught between the huge disappointment evident within the youth group and the dismay shown by the old couple, the youth leader embarked upon persuading the old people that they really would like Christmas decorations because it would make their home so pretty for Christmas. In the end, the elderly couple reluctantly agreed and the youth group set about their task with a will. They thoroughly enjoyed their morning and left feeling virtuous. But the elderly couple continued to look bemused throughout the whole affair and the youth leader left feeling anxious and guilty. She realized that she had made a bad mistake and wondered ever after who had taken down those decorations after Christmas.

Christmas is a time for getting it wrong. We try so hard to buy presents for other people that we think they will like, but we often get it wrong. Any adult who has tried to buy clothes for a teenager will know the feeling. And we all indulge in quite a degree of deception, to spare each other's feelings. Children learn from a young age that they must pretend to enjoy any present they are given, whether they like that present or not.

We're not alone. It was the same for King David in the Old Testament. He suddenly hit upon the brilliant idea of building a house for God, only to discover that God didn't want a house built especially for him.

God sent his message via Nathan the prophet who was David's confidante and an intermediary between David and God. God said,

"You're going to build a 'house' for me to live in? Why, I haven't lived in a 'house' from the time I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt till now. All that time I've moved about with nothing but a tent. And in all my travels with Israel, did I ever say to any of the leaders I commanded to shepherd Israel, 'Why haven't you built me a house of cedar?'"

Perhaps for David it felt like a kick in the teeth from God. David was trying to do something special for God, to give God a gift which was worthy of God and which he thought God would like. But he got it wrong. God didn't want to be trapped within a strongly-built house. God was happier within the flexibility of a tent, because a tent was movable and within a tent God could be with his people wherever they went.

We human beings have been trying to contain God from that day to this. Not content with tents or even houses of cedar, we have built vast churches and cathedrals to the glory of God. They are wonderful buildings and repositories of our history, but if we try to keep God exclusively within them, they die. God's Holy Spirit will always be free and will blow like the wind, wherever God wills, so we need to provide God with houses that have open doors and soft walls. And we need to be aware that for each of us, God resides in our own inner being and so is always with us.

God rejected David's gift, but it wasn't simply a bald rejection, for God turned David's offer and made it into something special for David himself. God said this:

"So here is what you are to tell my servant David: The God-of-the-Angel-Armies has this word for you: I took you from the pasture, tagging along after sheep, and made you prince over my people Israel. I was with you everywhere you went and mowed your enemies down before you. Now I'm making you famous, to be ranked with the great names on earth. And I'm going to set aside a place for my people Israel and plant them there so they'll have their own home and not be knocked around any more. Nor will evil men afflict you as they always have, even during the days I set judges over my people Israel. Finally, I'm going to give you peace from all your enemies.

"Furthermore, God has this message for you: God himself will build you a house!"

God did not wish to be confined within a static house, but God wanted to give David and his descendants the gift which all primitive peoples desired above any other, that of land and the continuation of their line. God promised descendants to David and those descendants eventually culminated in the Christmas gift of God himself in human form.

Just like David's gift to God and some of our gifts to each other, God's gift to the world at Christmas was not entirely appreciated by everyone and was rejected outright by many of those in positions of authority. But God didn't reject humanity because humanity had rejected his gift. God continues to pour his love over and into human beings.

We may find ourselves with unwanted gifts this Christmas. We may give unwanted gifts this Christmas. But none of that matters, as long as like God, we give the greatest of all -- ourselves.