God speaks through radio stories.....

Luke 2:7

7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

While driving home from a great afternoon with a very good friend, I was listening to Christmas stories told by callers. One story really touched me and I wanted to share it with you:

A family of ten got ready for church on Christmas Eve. The eight members of the family ranged from tiny all the way up to the oldest, a teenage boy. All were ready to leave except the 17 year old. He had chosen to not accompany the family. The mom thought it best to "pick your battles" and this was not one of those. They all left and attended church and then the drive to look at the neighborhood's lights. When they arrived home, the mom discovered a strange young man sitting on the couch in the living room. She asked him who he was and the boy explained that he was a friend of her son. The mother heard her son in his downstairs room and went down there to get a further explanation of the stranger in their home. The son explained that the young man had left the area a few years before and when he returned to see his dad, his dad informed him that there was no room at his house for him to stay, leaving him on the street. He turned to his old friend out of desperation. The son asked if it was ok if he stayed there for the night. The mom agreed and then realized that the young man would be there for Christmas morning and present time. She looked in the closet and found some extra things that she wrapped for him so he would have something to open. The next day after the festivities, the young man approached the mom and thanked her for letting him stay and that he had never had a family Christmas in his lifetime. He was moved and touched by the experience and conveyed this with his heartfelt thank you.

Oddly enough, at this particular time of year, when a story that defines the season also had strangers that found there was no "room at the inn".

Had the son gone to church with the family, he would not have been home to let this poor young man know that there is always room for one more and that as Christians, we should always be open without a "no vacancy" sign up. The open door gives way to sharing the Word and the story of mattering to Jesus, no matter who you are or what story you are living!