A Brother Like That

He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.  1 John 2:10
Click here to sing this Christmas Carol:   It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

 I am going to begin sharing some of my favorite Christmas stories, poems, and thoughts.  This one today is one that always makes me cry and it is called:  

A Brother Like That   

A young man named Paul received a new automobile for Christmas from his brother.  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 looked astounded.  “You mean he just gave it to you, and it didn’t cost you nothing?  Gosh, I wish . . .”

 He hesitated and Paul knew what he was going to wish.  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 I could be a brother like that,” the boy said.

Paul looked at the boy in astonishment.  “Would you like to ride in my car?”  he asked.  “Oh, yes, I’d love that!”  exclaimed the boy.

After a short ride, the urchin turned and with eyes aglow said, “Would you mind driving past my house, mister?”

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 right where those steps are?”  the boy asked.

He ran up the steps.  Then in a little while Paul heard him coming back, but he wasn’t coming fast.  He was carrying his crippled little 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 someday 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 telling you about.”

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

That Christmas Eve, Paul learned what Jesus meant when he said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”