The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!

Years ago a friend gifted me a hilarious but heart-warming book about how an unchurched family added spice and meaning to a Christmas custom that had turned into just another rote church tradition. Dry as dirt morphed into poignant and moving. As touching as that story was, however, it doesn't hold a candle to the even better one I have lived.

The joy of children's innocent antics, definitely good. The joy in seeing the birth of Christ through unchurched eyes, awe inspiring ... but to live the meaning of Christ's coming to earth! That is what Christmas is all about!

I had the privilege of participating in, and many times leading, a variety of Christmas programs through the years, but a certain one in Mexico raised the bar for such presentations even as it ushered in a culmination of hopes and dreams.

The children performed the expected poems, songs, and a sweet reenactment of the Biblical Christmas story. Then, as the children quieted, the children dressed as a camel stilled, and the last words faded into the dimness of the auditorium, the pastor stood to wrap up the program. Only he didn't end it with a final amen—he opened it up to the page of a new journey. He summed up what had been presented as something more than a children's pageant—it had been a program to honor the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, who deigned to leave heaven and come to this pitiful earth for love of us, to make a path to God so that we could be with Him forever. It was not "just" a play, but an homage to the great love of God that He has for us. "And," the pastor concluded, "if you do not know Him, this is your night. He loves you. He wants to wash away your sins and usher you into newness of life. That is the greatest Christmas present. That is why He came. If you do not know Him, would you like to come forward so that we can pray with you to make Jesus the Lord of your life? Come. He is here. He is waiting for you."

And they came. Not one, not two, but five precious souls made their way to the foot of the stage to pray with the pastor, dedicating their life to Jesus. It was the best Christmas pageant ever.

Good news! This reason for the season can be extended beyond Christmas! It doesn't need to be limited to a once yearly program but can actually be incorporated into every single day of our lives. One of my grandmother's daily prayers was, "Lord, let me meet someone to whom I can share about You today." He unfailingly answered those prayers—as attested to by her many gifted Bibles. That woman went through Bibles like some people go through chocolate candy. If she found someone to tell about Jesus, her next question would be, "Do you have a Bible?" And there would go her Bible.

May the beauty of the souls saved that memorable Christmas inspire us to be like Grandma and live a life of glorious pageantry, sharing our love for Jesus and drawing others to the kingdom not just during this holiday season, but every single day of the year.

"I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance" (Luke 15:7).

"Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth"(Luke 15:10).