“Mary’s CHRISTmas to all”

My step-son and I recently went to a Shaquille O’Neal book signing. The book store was packed; lines everywhere. (Reminds me of my stretch marks! Ha!) As he stepped inside the store from his limo, someone screamed out, “There he is!” and the crowd went wild. Now, though I don’t consider Shaq to be a deity by no means, (plus, that chump was real mean to my step-son and I) I thought of when John the Baptist saw Jesus and proclaimed, “Behold, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world!” 1

To top it all off,  I had to pay $29.00 for Shaq to autograph my book. (You know how many Whoppers I could’ve bought with that! Dang it! I’m truly regretting it! ) Now, imagine if he would’ve walked up to the cashier and paid for the books of every single person in line. That would’ve been awesome. Right? Only a  millionaire like the big Shaq-Diesel could do something like that. But, you know what? That’s what Jesus did. He paid a price you and I could never pay.

I heard a song the other day on Christian radio that went like this:

“Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy would one day walk on water?

Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy would save our sons and daughters?

Did you know that your Baby Boy has come to make you new?

This Child that you delivered will soon deliver you…”

Wow. Isn’t that awesome?! A Mary Christmas! But, Christmas is for all of us, as well. You see, Mary had a little Lamb that came to this world to deliver us from sin. Amen? Speaking of which, I wish somebody would’ve delivered me from my ex-wife many moos ago, when she plucked some of the white hairs I have on my goatee! She was younger than me, so she would say, “There’s no way my man is going to have gray hair being with me!” (In Hebrew that could be translated as: ‘My husband aint gonna be lookin’ like a Puerto Rican Santa Claus!’)  Anyways, as she was plucking away she yanked the wrong one! Ouuuuuuch!!! It hurt more than being shanked, and all she could say was, “My bad. I plucked out a black one by mistake.” Whaaaat!? With watery eyes I scratched my chin and cried, “All that PAIN for nothing. At least, make it worthwhile!”

That reminds me of what Jesus did. Mary’s little Lamb was born on a measly ol’ manger to later die hanging on a tree; for you and me. So, this Christmas, let’s not get too distracted with a fat man in a red suit and some make believe flying reindeers (Though, Rudolph is the bomb!). Instead, let’s meditate on Jesus, who’s the true Reason for the season.

‘Cause, if we don’t, then all that pain He went through years later was for nothing. So, let’s celebrate His birth and sacrifice, and unite with me in singing the lyrics to that oldie but goodie hymn that says, “Joy to the world the Lord is come…” 2  Merry Christmas. Or should I say, “Mary’s Chrsitmas to all.”

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1. John 1:29

2. Isaac Watts, 1674-1748