One Christmas an old shoemaker sat alone in his little shop reading of the visit of the wise men to the
baby Jesus, and of the gifts they brought, and he said to himself. "If tomorrow were the first Christmas, and if Jesus were to be born here in town this night, I know what I would give him!" He arose and took from a shelf two little shoes of soft snow-white leather, with bright silver buckles. "I would give him these, my finest work. But I’m a foolish old man," he thought, smiling. "The Master has no need of my poor gifts."
~ Author Unknown ~
Replacing the shoes, he turned out the light and retired for the night. Hardly had he closed his eyes, it seemed, when he heard a voice calling his name. Intuitively, he felt aware of the identity of the speaker. "You have longed to see me said the Lord. Tomorrow I will pass by your window. If you see me and invite me in, I shall be your guest and sit at your table."
He did not sleep that night for joy. Before it was yet dawn, he arose and tidied up his little shop. He prepared some food and set the table.
When the preparations were complete, he took up his vigil at the window. He was sure he would know the Master. As he watched the snow falling in the cold, deserted street, he thought of the joy that would be his when he sat down to eat with his guest.
Before long, he saw an old homeless man pass by, blowing on his thin, gnarled hands to warm up. "Poor fellow! He must be half frozen," he thought. Opening the door, he called out to him, "Come in, get warm, and have a hot drink." The man gratefully accepted the invitation.
An hour passed and the shoemaker saw a poor woman carrying a baby. She paused wearily to rest in the shelter of his doorway. He flung open the door, "Come in and get warm while you rest," he said to her. "Are you not well?" he asked.
"I'm taking my baby to the hospital, we are both ill," she explained. "My husband is out of town, and there is no one to help."
"Poor child!" cried the old man. "You must eat something while you are getting warm. Let me give you a glass of milk for the little one. Why, he has no shoes!"
"I have no shoes for him," sighed the mother. "Then I'll give him this pair I finished yesterday." And he took down the soft little snow-white shoes he had looked at the evening before and slipped them on the child’s feet. They fit perfectly. Shortly the young mother went her way full of gratitude, and the shoemaker went back to his post at the window.
Hour after hour went by and many needy souls shared the hospitality of the old shoemaker, but the expected guest did not appear.
At last when night had fallen, he retired to his bed with a heavy heart. "It was only a dream," he sighed. "I did hope and believe, but he didn't come."
Suddenly the room was flooded with a glorious light. To the shoemaker’s astonishment there appeared before him, one by one, the homeless man, the mother and her sick baby, and all the people whom he had helped during the day. Each one smiled at him and said, "Have you not seen me? Did I not sit at your table," and vanished.
Then softly out of the silence he heard again the gentle voice, repeating the old familiar words, "Whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me" (Matt. 18:5). "For I was hungered, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger and ye took me in."...."Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, my brethren, ye have done it unto me" (Matt. 25:35-40)
Jesus is the reason for the season!
Invite the Lord Jesus into your heart and home this Christmas.
