My favorite Christmas song has, for years, been “The Little Drummer Boy.” It is the one which most closely resembles my relationship to my Savior. There are probably other choices that would seem more obvious. “O Holy Night”? “Oh Come All Ye Faithful”? “Joy to the World”? Those are all songs I love, and they to speak to me. But none hits as close to home as “The Little Drummer Boy.”

Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum
A new born King to see, pa rum pum pum pum

We begin the song with a testimony of Jesus Christ and who He is. It is my testimony that He is my King and my Savior.

Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum
To lay before the King, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

So to honor Him, pa rum pum pum pum,
When we come.

This verse is about our need to worship Him. It is about offering Him the best part of ourselves. Even more, we can only offer the very best part of ourselves, because to offer anything else would be a disgrace. It would not be a worthy offering; nothing but the finest gift will honor Him.

Little Baby, pa rum pum pum pum
I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum
I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum
That’s fit to give the King, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

And here is the part of the song that resonates in my soul and makes my heart ache. I am inadequate. I am unworthy. I don’t know that anything, or any part of me, is enough of an offering to the one who provides the Grace I need to be anything at all. I am so base and so flawed, what gift do I have that is fit for Him?

Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum,
On my drum?

Here am I. And as lowly as the offering may be, I am willing.

Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum
The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

I lay myself at His feet and offer myself in the best way I know how to worship Him. I know that it is imperfect, and I know that it is lacking, and I know how often I fail. But I dedicate it all to Him.

Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum
Me and my drum.

And I am enough. At the closing lyric of this song my eyes fill with tears. Every. Time. My heart is filled with His Spirit and the reminder that he accepts me, loves me, as I am. He embraces all of my imperfect efforts and he makes them perfect. He does not see me as inadequate or base. He sees and acknowledges all of the best parts of me. I love this song so much because when I hear it, the Spirit whispers to me that the best gifts I have are an offering that honors Him.

Leah Marie

Leah Marie earned a BA in Political Science, and a Masters in Public Administration. She is currently working towards her PhD in Public Policy. She is wife to an English professor, and mother to 3 beautiful boys.

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