Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts… (Matthew 2:11)

Two fond childhood memories of mine always come to mind this time of year.  One – sitting in my aunt and uncle’s sun room, listening for hours on end to the song The Little Drummer Boy (vinyl LP!  Boy, does that date me!!), going through the motions, of course, of playing along on my own (imaginary) drum.  The other – the 1951 Opera, Amahl and the Night Visitors.  Amahl was a young, disabled shepherd boy who lived in poverty with his mother.  One night, their home was visited by three Kings, who were seeking shelter on their way to Bethlehem.  In my mind, the little drummer boy and Amahl are one-and-the-same.

The lyrics to the song go: Come they told me… A newborn King to see… Our finest gifts we bring… To lay before the King… Little baby… I am a poor boy too… I have no gift to bring… That’s fit to give a King… Shall I play for you… On my drum?… I played my drum for Him… I played my best for Him… Then He smiled at me… Me and my drum…

The scene (of my own creation) indelibly imprinted on my mind is of a little, disabled shepherd boy, who wants to see the newborn King, and bring to Him a gift.  Being poor, he has nothing to offer (according to worldly standards), but a song on his drum – a drum as poor as he, and his skill level just as poor, at best.  But it’s all he has…so he gives it all he has.  And, of all the treasures offered the Baby that night (gold, frankincense, myrrh, and no doubt other costly items), it (the “pa rum pum pum pum” of his drum) is arguably the only gift that brings a smile to the Savior’s face.

What has all this to do with the Two Kingdoms in which we live?  Just this – we may not think we have anything of significance to offer the King (of either Church or State).  What we can give is what we have, and we can give it with all that we have, knowing that such a treasure will always bring a smile to Him who is the King of both kingdoms.

Pastor Greg Schram