Song 16--Christmas Shoes

"The Christmas Shoes"
Words

This is one of those songs that if I let it in too deep, it can move me emotionally and I can feel the tears begin to form.  Yeh, I'm a big sap sometimes.  But there is so much that moves me in this song.

There is a little boy who is dealing with losing someone he cares deeply about, who he depends on to care for him and to love him.  Maybe he's too young to really understand, but it sounds like he understands enough to know his mom is dying.  Instead of focusing on what he's not getting for Christmas this year, he breaks open his piggy bank, checks under all the cushions on his worn out couch, keeps his eyes open on the sidewalks for any loose change and goes to buy a pair of shoes.  He doesn't stop to think, "what if I don't have enough money?"  He has faith that it will work out.  He has faith that God will take care of his mom.  He does what he can and trusts God.    He is out of control of having enough money and he is out of control of what will happen with his mom.  But he's got faith.

He lays his faith out on the line in front of strangers and humbles himself to ask someone else for help and not just help--but MONEY!  How hard it is for us to ask for money and sometimes how hard it is for us to give money.  But he reaches out and the stranger comes through and the boy is able to buy his mom the shoes.

The stranger goes home changed.  He is reminded of "what Christmas is all about."  Sacrifice, humility, giving up our treasures, trusting in God even when we don't know the outcome or don't like the outcome.  All these things are lived out for us in the person of Jesus.  All these things are things that I try to live out and that I am reminded of at Christmas and with this song.