Debbie’s eyes were aglow with delight as she caught her first glimpse of the Christmas tree in the early morning light. We had determined that this year was going to be the biggest and best Christmas ever and we had spared no expense to purchase a multitude of toys designed to thrill the heart of our daughter.

Our two year old must have thought she was in a toy store as she viewed the display of merchandise awaiting her. Debbie just stood there trying to take it all in—the rocking horse, the puzzles, the child-size kitchen set, the balls and dolls. She seemed to be completely overwhelmed by the vast array spread out before her.

Then she noticed her Christmas stocking hanging from the mantel. Eagerly she ran over, took it down, and carefully began to remove the contents of the stocking one item at a time. She examined each piece of candy and every little toy. We tried to hurry her along, anxious for her to pay attention to the wonderful, expensive toys under the tree.

Finally the stocking appeared to be empty. But wait—what’s this? Reaching way down deep into the toe, Debbie had discovered a tiny plastic baby doll with a wee bed and blanket, and a microscopic baby bottle. We had purchased the little doll at the dime store on Christmas Eve for a quarter. It was one of those last minute impulse things, but Debbie was captivated by it. She wouldn’t put the little doll down.

We urged her to come and see all the other toys, but she wouldn’t budge. All she wanted was the tiny baby with its little bottle and bed. Debbie continued to sit on the floor taking the doll in and out of its bed, covering it with the tiny blanket. Time passed.

After a while, we began to get impatient. Hundreds of dollars of the finest toys available sat untouched under the tree, and all Debbie wanted was the tiny baby with its little bottle and bed. We tried to draw her attention to the toy kitchen with its many working parts, but to no avail. The tiny baby had stolen Debbie’s heart. She had eyes for nothing else.

Oh that the Babe of Bethlehem might steal our hearts this Christmas. In the midst of all the commercialism, bright lights and tinsel, let us turn our eyes upon Jesus. There are so many things that seek to draw our affection away from the Holy Child in the manger. We often have to look past Santa Claus, Rudolph, Frosty the Snowman and decorated trees to find the real reason for Christmas.

The temptation is there to look at the big, the bright, the beautiful, the exciting. Look here! See the newest, the greatest! See the most expensive, the most advanced. Look here! Leave the Baby! Look what’s over here!

But let us never forget that the greatest Christmas gift ever given to men came wrapped in human flesh in the form of a tiny baby. May God grant us child-like faith to turn away from everything else that the world has to offer to embrace His precious gift—a baby named Jesus.


From the book
"Following in His Footsteps"
by Jean Coleman