Pick Up the Pieces

Today’s message was written by Rev. Dr. Roger Kunkel, founder of Dial Hope.

Because of the coming of Jesus Christ, Christmas is the good news that hope is real. Hope is always a faith possibility. In Hebrews 10:23 we read: “Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful.”

One day, very close to Christmas, a child was coming down the hall at church. He had in his hand a little ceramic tray that he had made for his mother. As he ran down the hall, he tripped and fell. The tray broke into several pieces. The child was devastated. He began to cry loudly and uncontrollably. People tried to comfort him with all kinds of advice: “It was just a tray.” “You can make another one.” “You can give your mother something else.” The child was inconsolable. Finally, his mother arrived on the scene.

She immediately realized what had happened. Bending down beside her son and his broken gift, she said, “Well, now, let’s pick up the pieces and take it all home. We’ll put it together and see what we can make of it.”

Isn’t that exactly what the Christmas message of hope is about? The world is broken into many fragments, as are our lives. God stoops down beside us. “Well, now,” God says, “Let me help you pick up the pieces. We’ll put it back together and see what we can make of it.”

On a night long ago, God walked down the stairs of heaven with a tiny child in his arms. That child is a source of hope in human life. Friend of Dial Hope, be a sign of hope in a fragmented world. God has blessed you to be a blessing to others.

Let us pray: Loving God, in this season of waiting and yearning, give us the grace to wait for your coming to the bottom of our toes, to the edges of our fingertips. Come and make all things new. Be born in us today and lead us to the light of your love. Help us, with your grace, to make this day a masterpiece. Through Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Amen.