A BROTHER LIKE THAT

One of my favorite stories from Christmas’ past is the one whose authorship has been lost, but the message continues to be found anew in people’s hearts annually. When I was searching for the author of this story I even found an Islamic version. It was almost word for word the same except the names had been changed and Paul didn't take the street urchin for a ride.

There weren't many years when I was teaching for the Church Education system that I didn't read this story to the students.

Since those who read my weekly Thoughts are now the only ones who resemble students in my life, I wanted to share it with you as a special Christmas Gift.

A friend of mine named Paul received an automobile from his brother as a Christmas present. On Christmas Eve when Paul came out of his office, a street urchin was walking around the shiny new car, admiring it. "Is this your car, Mister?" he asked.

Paul nodded. "My brother gave it to me for Christmas." The boy was astounded. "You mean your brother gave it to you and it didn't cost you nothing? Boy, I wish ..." He hesitated.

Of course Paul knew what he was going to wish for. He was going to wish he had a brother like that. But what the lad said jarred Paul all the way down to his heels.
"I wish," the boy went on, "that I could be a brother like that."

Paul looked at the boy in astonishment, then impulsively he added, "Would you like to take a ride in my automobile?"

"Oh yes, I'd love that."

After a short ride, the boy turned and with his eyes aglow, said, "Mister, would you mind driving in front of my house?"

Paul smiled a little. He thought he knew what the lad wanted. He wanted to show his neighbors that he could ride home in a big automobile. But Paul was wrong again. "Will you stop where those two steps are?" the boy asked.

He ran up the steps. Then in a little while Paul heard him coming back, but he was not coming fast. He was carrying his little crippled brother. He sat him down on the bottom step, then sort of squeezed up against him and pointed to the car.

"There she is, Buddy, just like I told you upstairs. His brother gave it to him for Christmas and it didn't cost him a cent. And some day I'm gonna give you one just like it ... then you can see for yourself all the pretty things in the Christmas windows that I've been trying to tell you about."

Paul got out and lifted the lad to the front seat of his car. The shining-eyed older brother climbed in beside him and the three of them began a memorable holiday ride.

That Christmas Eve, Paul learned what "It is more blessed to give..." means!

Many times as I have pondered upon this delightful story I and have stopped to meditate I have made the obvious connection and realized that we all have A BROTHER LIKE THAT who has given us much more than a shiny new car.

The Christ Child was:

Born to bring light and life unto all the world

Born to change the hearts of men

Born to publish peace

Born to scatter seeds of joy

Born to bring light that eyes would see beauty

Born to show the way back home

Born to bring Eternal Life

I am so grateful for the Christmas Season and I pray that this year we will all have a stirring within us which stimulates a desire to become A BROTHER LIKE THAT.