The other day I went down to Wendy’s to get a hamburger. And while I was there, Santa was in the parking lot in his little house, the children were all lined up to sit on his lap, and one by one they took turns telling him what they wished for for Christmas.

Now, I have a Christmas wish also. I don’t plan to sit on Santa’s lap, but I still have a wish. May I share it with you? – by way of a story.

There was a little crippled boy who ran a small newsstand in a crowded railroad station in a large city. He was probably about twelve years old. And every day he would sit there, and sell papers, and candy and gum, and magazines to thousands of commuters who passed through the terminal.

One night two men were rushing through the crowded station to catch a train. One was fifteen or twenty yards in front of the other. It was Christmas Eve. Their train was scheduled to depart in a matter of minutes.

The first man rounded the corner, and in his haste to catch his train and get home to a Christmas cocktail party, plowed right into the little crippled boy, knocked him off his stool, and scattered his candy and newspapers, and gum everywhere. Without so much as stopping, he cursed the little fellow for being in the way, and rushed on to catch his train that would take him home to celebrate Christmas in the way he had chosen for himself.

Now, it was only a matter of seconds before the second commuter arrived on the scene. This man stopped, knelt down, and gently picked up the little crippled boy. After making sure that he was unhurt, the man then proceeded to gather up his scattered newspapers, his candy, his magazines – everything he had – and put it back on his little rack. Then he took his wallet, and he gave the boy a five-dollar bill. “Son,” he said, “I think this will take care of what was lost or soiled. Merry Christmas.”

Without waiting for a reply, the commuter picked up his briefcase and started to hurry away. But as he did, the little crippled boy cupped his hands together and called out, “Mister, Mister!”

The man stopped and turned around. The boy asked, “Are you Jesus Christ?”

By the look on his face, it was obvious that the commuter was embarrassed by the question. But he smiled and he said, “No son. I’m not Jesus Christ, but I am trying hard to do what He would do if He were here.”

I wish all the world were trying to do the same thing.

There is a song by Chelsea Reid of Ririe that for me says it all.

Merry Christmas to you.