Man who changed me

I’m asked what makes me happy at Christmastime. For the first half of my life, happiness at Christmastime, as it is with a lot of people, was the materialistic trappings. Music, gifts, decorated trees, school break, and vacation.

Then I met someone who changed me. I met a man who was born in a foreign land. He was born in a small village. Poor and soon to be homeless in order to escape death, though just an infant. The village he was born in was called Beit Lehem. The word “beit” in ancient Hebrew means home; the word “lehem” means bread. In John’s gospel Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life.” Beit Lehem was named at least 1,400 years before Jesus said that, yet his birthplace was called Home of Bread. He is my bread and I am filled to satisfaction with no wanting. That is happiness.

On the Sabbath an appointed scripture is read from the Haftorah. The Haftorah is comprised of scriptures from the prophets of ancient times. This has been ritual for over 2,000 years. For most of those years Jews had been scattered all over the world with no home land. May 15, 1948, was a Jewish Sabbath. The ancient scripture reading appointed for that day was from the Book of Amos. The scripture says God says, “I will return my people to their land no more to be pulled up out of their land.” As prophesied, on May 15, 1948, Israel was reborn as a nation.

This makes me happy at Christmas. And every other day. We observe this day as the birth of Jesus. He may not have been born on this exact day. But he wants to be our bread every day. Merry Christmas!

MICHAEL SANDERS

Little Rock