Pa Rum Pum Pum Pum….

Dr. Mike Murphy
December 7, 2016

It is funny how the smallest of things can trigger our fondest of memories! While flipping through the channels of the television the other day I saw a commercial for an upcoming broadcast of The Little Drummer Boy. In that split second, a smile came to my face as I remembered all the years as a young boy watching the story unfolded on the television screen. Before I even knew it, I found myself going online and listening to the familiar song I had grown up hearing.

We all have heard the song more times in our lives than we can begin to count. We all know the melody, the song, and even the story. But how well do you know the message?

Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum

A new born King to see, pa rum pum pum pum

Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum

To lay before the King, pa rum pum pum pum,

rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

So to honor Him, pa rum pum pum pum,

When we come.

Little Baby, pa rum pum pum pum

I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum

I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum

That’s fit to give the King, pa rum pum pum pum,

rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum,

On my drum?

Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum

The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum

I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum

I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum,

rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum

Me and my drum.

When the day comes, what gift will you lay at the feet of the King? Will you offer Him your most prized possession or the wealth you have acquired in this life? I think not, Satan offered Christ all the wealth and riches the world would ever have to offer, and it meant nothing in Christ’s eyes. Will you offer Him all the titles and accomplishments you have earned in your life? I do not think so. He already holds the ultimate title, King of Kings. When that day comes, and it will come in each of our lives, what gift will you lay at the feet of the King?

There is a gift that Christ yearns for, one each of us posses. A gift that Christ values far above all. A gift that carries no titles, but has a value far greater than all the wealth this world has to offer. A gift that can be so easily given, but is way too often impossible to find. What is the name of this simple gift that Christ cherishes above all? The gift of willingness!

Of all the gifts each of us are blessed with, willingness is by far our greatest gift. Unless we are first willing, none of the other gifts the Lord has graced each of us with is even available. But when we are first willing, Christ will show us gifts we are blessed with that we never even realized we had.

Look at the words of the song one more time. The little drummer boy thought he had absolutely nothing to offer the King. But when this child was willing to offer the King all he had, a wondrous and memorable gift emerged. A gift that all those present would be changed by.

Each of us often find ourselves in the same position this young boy did. We say to ourselves that we have nothing to offer. “I am not very good at speaking to others”, or “I just do not know what the Bible says well enough to share it with people”, we often find ourselves saying. When we make excuses for what we think we cannot do, we limit God, prohibiting the many miraculous opportunities that may follow. It is only when we are willing that God’s hand can move through us in ways we would have never seen possible. When we are willing, the Lord will often put the words in our mouth we did not know we had, or give us the Biblical verse to quote we did not even realize we knew. God can use us to touch lives in ways we would have never thought possible, but only when we are first willing!

So this season as we decorate the tree, get out the wrapping paper and the bows, and we hear that familiar ‘pa rum pum pum pum’ playing in the background, I hope each of you will wrap a small present and place a label on it addressed to Christ. Inside place a simple piece of paper. A piece of paper that has your handwriting on it, and the words written, “Yes Lord, I am willing, and this year You can count on me!”. The greatest give you have to offer cannot be purchased with your credit card, or found displayed in the most trendy of stores. The greatest gift you have to offer Christ is you! Your time, your heart, your mind, your effort, your willingness! All the things that reflect Christ, and make you your best! I can promise that with this simple gift Christ will change your life in ways you would have never thought possible. From this one simple gift, your life will be filled with more precious gifts than your wildest dreams could ever begin to imagine! Just like the little drummer boy did, you will experience the smile from that infant in the manger. A smile that forever changed the world!