Is There Room?

You may have heard the story about Wally. Wally was big for his age -- seven years old. Everyone wondered what role the teacher would give him in the annual Christmas play. Especially considering the fact that he was also a slow learner. Perhaps he could pull the curtain. To everyone's surprise the teacher gave Wally the role of the innkeeper. The boy of course was delighted. After all, all he had to learn was one line: "There is no room in the inn." He had that down in no time.

Then came the night for the program. The parents took their places. Every seat in the auditorium was filled. The children entered singing "Oh come all ye faithful." The lights dimmed. A hush moved over the audience. The curtain opened on Scene One. Mary and Joseph entered the stage and walked up to the inn. "Please sir, my wife is not well. Could we have a room for the night?"

Wally was ready for his line. He had rehearsed it all night. He began, "There is..." and he hesitated. He started over again, "There is..." and again his mind went completely blank. Everyone was embarrassed for him, but poor Wally just didn't know what to do. Joseph thought he would improvise and started walking away toward the stable on stage left. Seeing him walking away, Wally called out in desperation: "Look, there's plenty of room at my house, just come on home with me."

The important question -- not only at this time of year but all year round -- is, "Do we have room in our lives for Jesus?" Our lives are so busy -- with things that are good and things that are not so good. By the time we've filled our lives with time at work, time with the family, going to football games and the children's recitals, shopping, watching television and the latest movie, our lives are so very crowded. I don't know anybody who has "spare time" on their hands. The cry I hear from all around me is, "I wish I had a few more hours every day to get done when I need (or want) to get done."

Looking back, we may find ourselves thinking that if the innkeeper had known that Mary was about to give birth to the Savior of the world, he would have made room. But I'm not so sure. The reason I question that is because I see what happens when we are faced with a question similiar to one that was asked of the innkeeper. Jesus wants to know of us, "Do you have room in your life for me?" And I see how often in our busy, hectic lives -- even though we know who Jesus is -- we allow other things to crowd Him out.

Will we open our hearts to Jesus, or will we allow the busy-ness of life to crowd Jesus out? The answer we WANT to give is easy to come up with; the answer we give by the way we live is sometimes disturbing. May we have a heart that desires to speak with the tenderness of Wally's heart when he said, ""Look, there's plenty of room at my house, just come on home with me."

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me." (Rev. 3:20)

Source: Allan Smith Thought For The Day (Dec. 22, 2006)