Old Ben sat in his gas station on a cold Christmas Eve.  The place had no decorations, no tree, no lights.  It was just another day to him.  He didn't hate Christmas, just couldn't find a reason to celebrate, especially since his wife had died and there were no children.

          He sat there looking at the little TV when the door opened and a man walked in.  "Howdy, stranger," said Ben.  "Come sit by the heater and warm up."  The stranger stood quietly.  "I don't mean to intrude, but I'm cold," he said.  "Have something warm to drink."  Ben handed him a thermos.  "Some hot soup I made.  There's coffee, too.  Sorry the place is messy.  I don't celebrate Christmas.  Looks like I gotta customer - be right back."  Ben went out to man the gas pump.

          It was a beat-up '53 Chevy, steam rolling out the front, the driver panicky.  "Can you help me!?" he said.  "I think the block's cracked and my wife's ready to have her baby."  Ben looked quickly under the hood and said, "Sorry, but you ain't going no farther in this."  "But, mister, I gotta keep going," pleaded the father.

          Ben reached into his pocket and handed him some keys.  "Take my truck over there," he said.  "She ain't much, but she'll get you there."  He helped the woman into the seat and watched them speed off into the night.  "Probably never see that old truck again," he mumbled as he came back in.  "Them Chevy tires are no good either," he said to the stranger as he stepped inside, but the stranger was gone.  The thermos sat on the desk, an empty coffee cup too, but the man was gone.

          "Well, at least he got something in his belly," Ben muttered to himself.  He went back outside, got the old Chevy started and drove it into a garage stall.  Christmas Eve meant few customers so maybe he could work on it.  He'd probably need it later on.  He discovered a leaky radiator hose and fixed it with duct tape.  A lot better than a cracked block, he thought to himself.

          Dear friends, not everyone celebrates Christmas with lights, gifts and worship.  Tonight for many is one of struggle and pain.  They have food but are not hungry, they have health but don't feel well.  Physical pain has put some in hospitals and emotional pain has locked some in prisons of fear or anger.  We wish tonight all people will find the peace they long for, but peace that will be hard to find.

          Even for Mary and Joseph there was little peace, as they prayed the child would wait until they arrived.  They wondered if all would go well, giving birth in a stable, and they surely worried over the future of this child which the angel said would be the Son of God.  The angel's message didn't give them complete peace, but it must have calmed their hearts, knowing God was at their sides.

          Old Ben was changing a tire when another car rolled in, a police car, and an officer stumbled out.  "Help me," he groaned.  Ben grabbed his arm and helped him onto his old couch.  "I fell - my leg's broke I think."  "We'll get you some help," said Ben.  "Cover up with this quilt."  The shop phone hadn't been working well so he went to the officer's car and reported the accident on his police radio.  Back inside the officer explained, "I slipped on a patch of ice."  Ben gave him some coffee, "That leg might be broken, I'm not sure.  Just lie still now," he said comfortingly.

          Just then the station door flew open and in burst a young man with a gun and yelled.  "Gimme your cash - now!"  His hands shook and he was sweating.  "Don't!" said Ben as the officer reached for his weapon.  "I'll handle this.  Why're you doing this, son?"  "Shut up old man and gimme your cash!"  "But it's Christmas Eve," Ben said calmly.  "If you need money, take it, but put that thing away."  And then he did something on impulse, something he'd never recommend.  He slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out the cash for his bank deposit, and handed it to the shaking young man.  "Here, take this - you need it more than I do."

          Ben's action unnerved the young man so much that he didn't know what to say.  He looked at them, the gun shaking in his hand.  They could see he was no robber, just down on his luck.  After a moment, he said, "Look mister, I'm sorry.  I lost my job, my rent's way behind, my car quit running and I don't have even one Christmas present for my wife.  A few weeks ago we even had to hock her ring."  He looked at the money again and slowly dropped the gun to the floor.

          "We all get in a squeeze now and then," said Ben, kicking it under the desk.  "The road gets rough, but we make it through, even when we do stupid things."  He sat the young man down on a chair by the injured cop.  "I'm in so much trouble," he said, holding his head in his hands.  An ambulance pulled up, two EMTs helped the officer in and drove off to a hospital.  Nothing was said about the attempted holdup.  In fact the officer thanked both of them and smiled as he left.

          The nervous young man was completely confused.  "Why, mister?  First you give me money and then the cop didn't tell on me.  I can't believe this."  "Maybe 'cause it's Christmas," said Ben.  "Go get your wife something with that money."  Then he reached into his pocket and took out a gold ring with a small diamond.  "Martha's," he looked at it wistfully.  "Give it to your wife.  Better she has it than me."  The young man began to leave, then turned, with tears streaming down his face.  "Mister, I'll work this off, if you'll let me."  "Well I'm closed tomorrow," said Ben, "But come by the day after and we'll see."  He stood watching at the door, certain he'd never see the young fellow again.

          We say that Christmas is for giving.  That's true, and it all began with God giving us His Son.  The gifts we share may be made of gold or paper, but they all begin with God's gift to us in Jesus Christ.  All the rest of our gifts, whether wrapped in ribbons, wrapped a handshake or wrapped in a smile, first appeared in God's gift at Bethlehem.

          Ben turned, and there stood that stranger again!  "Where'd you come from?" he said, now confused himself.  "I've been here all the time," said the stranger.  "Back there, out of sight.  You say you don't celebrate Christmas.  Why's that?"  "Well," said Ben, "after Martha passed, I just couldn't do it no more.  It wasn't the same by myself, with no kids."

          The stranger put his hand warmly on Ben's shoulder.  "But you do celebrate Christmas.  You gave me food and drink when I was cold.  You gave away your truck and your money to total strangers, without even thinking it over.  You really did celebrate Christmas, Ben.  So let me tell you something.  That pregnant lady?  She will have a son tonight who will one day become a fine doctor.  That officer you helped will enlist in the army and become a decorated war hero.  The young man who tried to rob you will make you a fine worker, and you'll learn to love him like a son."

          A very skeptical old Ben looked at the stranger and said, "And how do you know all this?"  "Trust me," he said with a wink.  "And one more thing, Ben: after some very good years, you'll see Martha again.  Well, I'd better go now.  I have a party to attend - it's my birthday."  And then the stranger was gone.  The old man stood there a long time before he sat down on his chair.  Then he folded his rough, calloused hands and said quietly, "Happy Birthday, Lord."

          Tonight we remember the birthday of our Lord.  His birth is celebrated by over a billion and a half people worldwide, either December 25 or on January 6, Epiphany Day, when Orthodox Christians recall His birth and the visit of the Wise Men from the east.  Wise men and women still come to see the Christ child, because they know He holds the key to all that's precious in this life.  More importantly, Christ also holds the key to the life that is to come.

          I wonder how many Bens there are, doing random acts of kindness and deeds of love tonight or during this season.  They do not think it's worship, but it is.  St. James once wrote, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (James 1:27)

          There are many Bens helping people in need in this season, but there is only "Stranger" whose birthday we remember tonight.  He came into the world and the world knew Him not.  St. John once wrote, "He came to his own, but his own did not receive him.  Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God..." (John 1:11-12)

          It is my prayer this year, that all who hear this message will receive Jesus as the true Son of God, the Savior God promised the world thousands of years ago.  Jesus is more than a great prophet, He is more than a wondrous child, He is more than a symbol of peace for the world - He is the Messiah, our Deliverer, the Holy One through whom we gain eternal life.  He lives and He forgives.  God grant us joy and peace and sharing His love this night, through the Christ, the Son of God.  Amen!

Copyright © 2004 by Pastor Bob Tasler.  All rights reserved.