It was about 10 years ago around Christmas time when my dad called me and asked if I wanted to come to a concert that was happening near his house.  That year, the group Shane and Shane recorded a Christmas album and their tour happened to bring them to Bayside Chapel in Barnegat.   My dad knew I was a big fan of Shane and Shane and thought it would be a good way to get me to come home for the weekend, (I was living in Delaware, completing my medical residency at the time) so he purchased tickets for the two of us. 

As is the case with most concerts there were some opening acts.  Both of these were solo acoustic performers whom I’d never heard of before.  The first was a woman who happened to be the wife of one of the Shanes.  The second was an as-of-yet little known worship leader from California who was starting to launch his solo career.  His name was Phil Wickham.

I’m sure most of you now know Phil Wickham and his music and many of you may also be familiar with Bayside Chapel.  It’s a good size for a church but its certainly not Madison Square Garden.  We were only a few rows back so it was an up close and personal introduction to a truly amazing singer.  While his entire performance was outstanding, there was one moment that transcended all the others (including the headliners to come).  Phil played a version of The Little Drummer Boy that I will never forget as long as I live.  Until I heard that version, I had never really thought much of that song.   I recognized that it was a classic Christmas carol but just thought of it as a simple song for kids which, honestly, was kind of repetitive.  Phil’s passionate interpretation of the song along with his outstanding vocals completely changed my outlook.  I left that concert being a much bigger fan of that song and the man who sang it.  

Not only did I appreciate the song as a musical piece but I have since come to truly appreciate the humble greatness of the song as a message.   It’s not a difficult one to understand.  It is not steeped in metaphor or coded references.   It is the simple story of a poor boy who comes to see the savior and has nothing to offer but the playing of his drum.   In fact, it is purposely simple because it was written by a music teacher (Katherine Kennicott Davis) who was trying to create new material for her choir students.  But in this short simple story (only 19 lines if you take out all the pa rum pum pum pums) I see a great example of how to react to the coming of the Lord and how to bring ourselves into his presence. 

“Come they told me…”

This is the opening line and an important one.  Presumptively he is being told to come by the wise men who are arriving with their gifts for the newborn king.   To me this is the Christmas carol equivalent of when Jesus told Peter and Andrew to lay down their nets and come follow him (Matt . 4:18-22).  Immediately, and without question, they followed just as this boy did.  He was a poor boy and probably had to play that drum for money in the street but he immediately stopped what he was doing to come see the new king.  What a beautiful step of faith and obedience.  He would not let the ever present pull of the tasks of the day keep him from seeking out the Lord.  How often can we fight back against the tyranny of the urgent and pour our focus and purpose to the eternal?  Excellent start little dude!

After the wise men prattle on for a few lines about their fancy gifts, we come to another simple but poignant line from the drummer boy:

“I am a poor boy too…”

This is just a beautiful recognition of the simultaneously glorious and humble God we serve.   Not only are far away kings coming to shower him with expensive gifts but a poor drummer boy from the streets can come right into his presence as well.  This should make it clear that no one is too rich or too poor, too big or too small, too put together or too falling apart to share in the wonderful presence of the Lord Jesus.  And this recognition pairs beautifully with the next two lines:

“I have no gift to bring…. That’s fit to give our king”

How many of us feel this from time to time if not every day?  How many feel like our past sins and decisions or our current shortcomings make us feel unworthy of the Lord.  How often do we feel like a poor boy showing up with empty pockets, embarrassed that we don’t have more to offer?  Embarrassed that we aren’t more to offer?  The little drummer boy then steps up and shows us how we should handle the realization that we don’t come to the table with lives full of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 

“I played my drum for him… I played my best for him…”

This is what God wants.  This is what HE wants!  I am convinced of this.  He doesn’t want us to retreat into the embarrassment of our shortcomings or for you to hide in your covers and study your pain.  He wants us first to come to Him.  Then, once we are with Him, to unabashedly share with Him whatever we have to offer no matter how meager. The small offering from those struggling to make ends meet pleases Him as much as the building donated by the wealthy family.   The heart of the downtrodden drug addict looks just as much like gold to our Lord as the heart of the big corporate CEO.  And when we put our absolute best effort into serving the Lord this pleases Him most of all.  How do I know this?...

“Then he smiled at me… Me and my drum”

Though he was an infant and could not speak, the Lord lets the little drummer boy know that his gift is precious.  It’s a smile that says “Well done, good and faithful servant”.  I don’t know how to play the drums but I know that I certainly can and should act more like the little drummer boy.  I should come to Christ with whatever I have and whoever I am and give Him my absolute best.

This Christmas, as your doctor, I’m prescribing a few things.  First, go online and see if you can find a live performance of Phil Wickham performing Little Drummer Boy because it might change your life.  Second, have a great time with family and friends while celebrating the birth of our Lord.  But most importantly, be like the little drummer boy and seek the Lord’s presence on Christmas and any time you can.   And don’t hesitate to pound the heck out of your drum…whatever that might look like. 

Pa rum pum pum pum

Merry Christmas