I Wish I Was More Like Them

The story below was penned originally in 1996 from a lesson God taught me through my son. Twenty six years later, in 2020, the message is still very relevant. I pray that it blesses you and your family today.

Merry Christmas!

I WISH I WAS MORE LIKE THEM

Last Sunday my family attended a Christmas program that began by featuring our two year old son, Brady and several of his little classmates. I wasn’t sure quite what to expect since Brady has Down syndrome and his class consists of children with various degrees of mental retardation. What sort of program could there be when most of these precious tots are non-verbal? When the curtains opened and the music to the “Little Drummer Boy” played out - so did Brady. He clapped and “sang” and hollered on a drum. The auditorium was full of parents, grandparents and friends who were flooded with emotions.

As the program progressed to the adult “clients” singing and reciting their lines, I just let my tears fall freely. My first thoughts were of sadness for all the imperfections that were on that stage; for all the could-have-beens had it not been for their disabilities. I wondered for a moment what the purpose of this annual Christmas program was, because the quality of music was far from perfect. 

Then a handsome young man dressed in a tuxedo and top-hat came forward and beautifully sang, “Surely the Presence of the Lord is in this Place.” This man also has Down syndrome and although some of his notes were flat, God spoke to me there.

In my own mad Christmas holiday rush of service projects, buying of gifts and giving of parties, I had become so overloaded and stressed that there was nothing left of me to give my family. I was so exhausted on Sunday morning from all my own busyness that my mind slept through the worship service (or wandered off to all the things still left to be done). 

Oh, to be more simple minded. To be less concerned with life's busyness and more thrilled with the opportunity to sing out praises to our great God. To be so uninhibited that we have no preoccupation for what others think about our performance except for the One who created us.

God says we are all created in His image, that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). In Christ, we are perfect in God’s sight. These people before me, filled with their imperfections, were doing exactly what God had created them to do: To enjoy life, to love one another, and to glorify their Creator. They were doing just that!

If only we could be more like them.