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| Sunday, 22 December 2002 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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"For, to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given..." The message preached by Mr. Hilary Fernando (a staff member), at the Christmas Carol Service of Stafford International School on December 14th. I still remember the day my only child was born. The joy I felt as I held my son in my arms, a child of my own flesh and blood! It could only be understood by a parent. It was a joy to my wife, my parents, her parents, and all our brothers and sisters. It certainly called for celebration. Neighbours and relatives came to our home with gifts to see the new born baby. But as the child was growing there was something that I realized. This child was slowly and surely, changing my life. Before his birth I stayed in my office till late in the evening, to finish my work. But after the birth I rushed back home to be with my wife and baby, for I knew that they needed me. Before the birth, I probably was not so careful about the manner in which I spent my money. But now I had to be careful about my spending. I had to save money for my son's future, for his education, and perhaps build a house for him someday. And so my earning and spending habits changed. I also had to be careful of what I did and said, because the young child's mind quickly absorbed everything we did and said. Gradually this child was changing me. With the joy also came added responsibility. In our text Prophet Isaiah says, "To us a Child is born, to us a Son is given". Isaiah speaks here of the birth of Jesus. During Christmas we celebrate his birth. The birth of Jesus calls for celebration. It is a day of tremendous joy to us because God sent His only begotten Son to save a fallen human race. However, the important question that we should ask ourselves during Christmas is whether that Child that is born to us and the Son that is given to us has changed our lives? Many of us consider only the celebration part during Christmas without any regard for the Christ Child that was born in Bethlehem. It is important to realize that this Child demands a change in our lives just as if a son born to us. This is at the centre of the Christmas message. There is a true story coming to us from. America Across the Mississippi River there is a railroad bridge. John Griffith was the controller of this great bridge in 1937. His task was to lower the bridge when the trains pass and to raise the bridge to allow for the ships to pass on the river. One day John Griffith took his eight-year-old son, Greg, to the worksite. While John was at work, little Greg was at play. Suddenly John Griffith heard a train approaching the bridge blowing its whistle. John Griffith had forgotten to lower the bridge for the train to pass. He quickly ran to the Control Tower to lower the bridge. He knew that around four hundred passengers travel in that train at that time. When he reached the Control Tower the train was very near. Before lowering the bridge by pulling the master lever, he looked down to see whether there were any ships passing by. There were none. But he saw a scene that made him shiver. His little son had fallen into the massive gears that operated the bridge and his left leg was caught in the cogs of the two main gears. If John pulled the lever, the cogwheels begin to work and his son was sure to die. If he didn't pull the lever, the lives of four hundred people would be lost. He had only few seconds to think. The train was almost near the bridge. What did John do? He covered his eyes with his left hand and with the right hand, he pulled the lever. The bridge lowered. The train went over the bridge. The lives of four hundred people were saved. Very reluctantly he removed his left hand and opened his eyes and looked down. He saw a pool of blood. His eight-year-old son was minced to death! John Griffith looked at the people travelling in the train. There were men reading the daily newspapers. There were women happily chatting and others were knitting garments. There were children with smiles on their faces happily eating ice cream. No one looked at Griffith. With wrenching pain, John Griffith shouted at the passengers and said, "I sacrificed my son for you people. Don't you care?" God is asking the same question from each and everyone of us during Christmas. "I sacrificed my only Son for you people. Don't you care?" Let us celebrate Christmas. Let the church bells ring. Let the choirs sing. Let us go caroling. Let us give gifts to our children, parents and loved ones. Let us help the poor and the needy. Let us make Christmas cakes and buy new clothes. Let us decorate our homes with Christmas trees and what-not. For to us a Child is born-to us a Son is given! But do remember that Child that is born to us and that Son that is given to us demands more than that. He demands a change in our lives. A change in our attitudes towards our parents, brothers and sisters, spouse and children. He demands a change in our giving, spending and saving. A change in our caring and sharing. A change in our attitudes towards our studies and work. In short, as Isaac Watts put it, "He demands my soul, my life, my all". May we wish you a meaningful Christmas; a Christmas that would change our lives. |
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