By Robert Beckum
When Luke wrote the first story of Christmas, he deliberately told the story of God’s redeeming love through older adults and angels. Those advanced in age like Zechariah and Elizabeth or Simeon and Anna embodied the hopes, dreams and fears of all humanity. Angels proclaimed God’s response to humanity’s deepest hopes and greatest fears in the birth of Jesus. According to Luke, only two groups seemed to understand the significance of what God was doing that first Christmas—-angels and older adults. In my life journey, most of the angels (God’s messengers) I have known have been older adults. Chief among those angels was Mrs. Coulter.
Dora Louise Coulter did special things for all the children in the neighborhood where I grew up. She delighted in our presence. She asked about our hopes and dreams. Most importantly, she always listened to what we had to say as if what we were saying was the most important thing in the world. When we were with Miss Dora Louise, we not only felt special—-we were special, and we knew it! At least we knew we were special to her. She made the most wonderful gift baskets for all the children in the neighborhood at every holiday—-every holiday except Christmas. Accustomed to being on the receiving end of her generosity, our faces showed disappointment with the lack of Christmas goodie baskets.“Christmas is different,” she explained, “Christmas is not a time to focus on what we want or what we hope to get, but it is a time to give thanks for all God has already given us in priceless gift of his son.” She continued to say, “Christmas is not in the glitz or the glitter, it is in God’s gift.” Finally she said, “One day you boys will know and understand.” To little boys hoping for toys and candy, her explanation had little appeal. We all agreed she was being a scrooge. Still we wondered, “Why only at Christmas?” She is so generous the rest of the year. Little did we know she was trying to give us so much more than a goodie basket.
Only as adults did we learn it was on Christmas Eve many years before when Miss Dora Louise learned that her youngest son, Billy, had been killed by a Japanese sniper’s bullet. Every Christmas since, she avoided the tinsel and seasonal hullabaloo. Instead, she spent her time quietly giving thanks to God for the gift of His son—-and remembering her son as she lavished her love and attention on us. She was not a scrooge but as close to an angel as any of us little boys were privileged to know. Every Christmas, it is this older adult who reminds me not to focus on what I am “wanting” or “getting” but on giving thanks to God for the priceless gift of His Son that I have already been given and asking, “Where and to whom is God calling me to be an angelic messenger by sharing my love, my time and my attention?”
Rev. Robert Beckum is Vice President of Church Relations and Development Magnolia Manor.
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