So, here’s this outcast sleigh puller. He’s born with some sort of weird thing going on with the electric pulses that move through his nervous system. It seems they back up extra current to his nose causing it to light up “like a light bulb”. I had an uncle with a red bulbous nose but that was from all the booze. Rudolph’s has a more natural cause. Well, anyway, all Rudolph’s classmates think he’s a real weirdo because he’s not equipped like the other typical folks around his hood. The other hoofed helicopters laugh at him and call him names (like Pinocchio). They wouldn’t even let him play Monopoly with them.

All this rejection gets ole Rudy down and he feels like some sort of failure due to all of the rejection when, right at his lowest point, who else but Santa himself asks Rudy to lead the way through a fog storm that otherwise would have made a disaster of the big guys Christmas Eve travel arrangements. His unique abnormality impacted the world in an awesome way that night.

You see, Rudolph was different for sure, but, he was made perfectly different for the purpose that God had in store for him. In some way, all of us have felt like a Rudolph did at the beginning of the song at one time or another. Everyone has had something they’ve tried to hide because it made them feel inadequate, or they were afraid of being rejected. I know for me, I would always catch a bunch of slack from my teachers for “over-analyzing” things. I was the kid that when given the written math problem about two trains leaving the station and what time each would arrive, would drive the teacher nuts at how more information was needed because one loaded heavier might take longer to get to top speed and a less trained driver might not make as quick of time. My teachers hated me. I wouldn’t try to be a pain, but, couldn’t stand not having all the information or knowing all variances weren’t looked into completely. Now, I’ve realized that God put that into me so that I can find things that others sometimes can’t. It helps when I’m consulting a client about what advertising options are best for them, or when I’m showing someone how scripture written thousands of years ago can pertain to their life today.

What is it about you that has made you feel like a Rudolph? What is unique about you that others have thought was strange? Listen to the song now and think of how can you use your shiny nose for a world changing purpose that God has implanted in your heart? When you find that, you’ll begin to feel like the Rudolph at the end of the song rather than the one at the beginning. I know I did.

JC

As I type this, my four year old, Ruthie, is sitting on my lap and laying her head on me. I love it when my girls want do take time out of busy play to stop and cuddle their daddy. Times like this make me feel like the most awesome, special, and chosen, person in the world. My children have a special way of making me feel loved, and I’m so full of love for them that, at times, I feel like I could burst with this love. If you’re a parent, I’m sure you’ve had those times when you want to do nothing but sit and admire your children. Maybe watching them sleep, or watching as they play alone and pretend to make conversation with their toys.

Now, can you imagine those same times mentioned in the previous paragraph, if you knew your child was the supernatural incarnation of God? Mary knew this. She knew that Jesus was destined to be the Savior of mankind. She didn’t need to ask if he wanted to be a fireman when He grew up. She knew He created firemen. With all the feelings I have when I’m holding one of my children, I can’t imagine the feelings I might have if I was entrusted with the upbringing of Gods chosen Messiah. I sometimes am nervous at my responsibility as a parent, but, she was responsible for the the care of God in the flesh.

Listen to the song now, and this time, meditate on your experiences with your own kids and what this young woman must have experienced that night in a cold barn.

Here it is. The day of prophesy has come, and this little boy becomes saddened as he watches people giving precious, valuable gifts to the very Child of God. This kid is poor and has nothing he feels fit to give Jesus. So, in a stretch of desperation, he asks Mary if he may at least play his drum for her baby and receives a nod of permission from the new mother. Nervously, the young drummer begins to tap the drum and keep rhythm with the sounds of the animals who’d gathered around. Next thing you know, Jesus, the baby he came to worship, the savior of mankind, looked his way and smiled in approval of this young man and his desire to give all of himself to his King. You can feel the excitement that must have rushed though his entire body. He must have at that moment been numb with excitement and and the urge to shout with joy to The Lord. Even that which had seemed unworthy and meaningless to the boy a few minutes ago, was pleasing to Jesus because of the whole hearted God pleasing offering it was meant to be.

This should be the story of our lives. You think you don’t have enough to give? You think you don’t have what it takes? You DO! You have something. Maybe you have an hour you can dedicate to serving him through your local church. Maybe you have experiences and a compassion for kids and teens that you could use to introduce them to their savior. Maybe you could dedicate the songs you sing in the shower or at the red light to Him. No matter how tone deaf or how little rhythm you have (the boy in the song had to turn to animal sounds for rhythm help), I promise that a song of praise offered to Christ will be pleasing to HIM.

So, do me (and yourself) a favor, and listen to the song again now. While you do though, think of the things you’ll do today. Find ways you can offer everything today as an act of worship to God who deserves ALL of our time and talents.