I PLAYED MY BEST FOR HIM

Pa rum pum pum pum.  One of my favorite Christmas songs came on the car radio, as I passed the Walgreens, on my way home.  The Little Drummer Boy is a song that always caputred my heart, even as a little girl.  I think it was because of the drums.  There was something about the drums.

Now, that I'm not so little, anymore, I began to really pay attention to the lyrics, as I stopped at a red light.  Waiting there, I heard Bing Crosby, sing, " Baby Jesu, 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.  Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum, On my drum?" As it I heard those words, I began to realize something.  There is nothing I own that any king would ever want, as a gift but what I do have, was given to me by the King. 

The song continued and here are the lyrics that stirred up something deep in me: "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."

As this little boy used his talent of drum playing, he gave the most valuable gift of all.  He gave to the King, the very thing the King had created in him to do.  The love and gift of drumming.  He played his best for him and while he did, God counted it as praise and worship.  Remember the baby smiled. 

Then I thought of this: Of all the gifts presented to Jesus, in this story, there was only one that a small child could actually appreciate.  He couldn't, yet, use the gold, frankincense or myrrh, but music, he could hear.  He could take it in and respond to it.  He accepted the praise and worship of drums playing.

Then I asked, myself, as I ask you now? What is my drum? What is your drum?  What is it that God created in us, that we do well or like to do very much?  What gifts has he given us through His Spirit?  With that in mind, then ask, "Do I use that talent or gift, to the fullest?  Do I "play my best for him"?  I hope the answer is yes because when it is, we too, offer praise and worship, in the very act of doing it. 

That's all the King really wants from us, even though He needs nothing from us.  He wants to smile at our living out, who He created us to be, to the best of our ability and by His grace, fully surrendered to Him. You could say, marching to the beat of His drum.  Knowing that when do, we offer up praise and worship through our very lives; the most valuable gift we can ever give, to the greatest King.  The greatest King who ever was born, to give us the greatest gift of all; life eternal with Him. 

Thank you, gracious Father, for your gift to me; Your son Jesus, the gift of grace and the faith to receive it so that I may always live my best for Him.

Enjoy the song!