Fixing Our Eyes upon Jesus

Our historic Virginia church on Main Street, with its stained-glass windows, white columns, and wrap-around balcony, was decorated with greenery, candles, and a Chrismon tree. And on this special Sunday evening, the sanctuary was packed with parents and visitors eager to watch their children shine as characters in the Christmas story. After costume fittings, weeks of rehearsals, and learning lines, my preschool and elementary cast of shepherds, wise men, angels, and stable animals were ready to perform in the annual Christmas pageant.

Or so I hoped.

The pageant began with a nervous fourth-grader narrating, “And a decree went forth from Sy uh REE uh. . .” she said, struggling with the pronunciation. We all felt her hesitation, including a preschooler dressed as a nativity rooster who belted out, “DY-uh-ree uh?” Giggles resounded from the rest of the preschool barnyard of sheep, donkeys, roosters, and cows. The audience nervously joined in the laughter. That was only the beginning.

Things got worse when the angels began fighting in the balcony. Prior to the performance, my assistant director suggested that because the kindergarten and first-grade angels were unsure of their song, I should have my angelic daughter, Christine, sing directly into the Angel of the Lord’s mike to bolster the multitude of heavenly host. I told Christine to stand next to Mason (the Angel of the Lord) and, after he had announced, “Fear not, I bring you glad tidings of great joy!” to take over the mike.

However, I forgot to tell Mason.

As head angel, first-grader Mason was not going to allow kindergartener Christine any time on his mike. Mason rubbed the feathers off Christine’s furry white wings as he bumped her away and crowded his haloed head into his mike. Wings flapped, and the angel chorus nearly took flight. “Gloria! Gloria!” the other angels sang as two microphoned angels fought hard over their own glory.

I continued conducting the song from below, my flailing arms imitating the angelic ones above. What else could I do? Christine was doing exactly what she was supposed to do, and my Angel of the Lord had been taught that choir members should never sing directly into the mike unless performing a solo—especially not the angel of the Lord’s mike! The audience howled with laughter as they watched the battle in the heavenly places. For many, it was the highlight of that year’s Christmas pageant.

What will be your Christmas highlight? Probably not a perfectly planned party or the photoshopped Instagram-worthy moment. We can enjoy the holidays more by letting all that go and looking to perfection only in Him. Nothing will be perfect except the One having the birthday. While the world celebrates the holidays, return to the holy days, and keep your eyes fixed on Jesus.

What can prompt you to keep your mind fixed on Him? To take in a deep breath and inhale His peace and exhale anything that detracts? Consider writing out the verse below and posting it somewhere in your home.

"Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2

Prayer

Dear Jesus—May my day begin with my eyes fixed on You. No matter what happens today, help me to keep my eyes focused on You, the author and perfecter of my faith. Remind me that by coming to earth as a babe, you set aside the joy and endured the cross. Now you sit at the right hand of the throne of God, and I can close my eyes and picture you there.

In Jesus’s name.