"Who's on First?" by Sue Wright

“Mom, who do you think found Jesus first? The Three Wisemen or Santa Claus?”

Mrs. Franz wanted to giggle, but seeing how serious her six-year-old stared up at her as she was finishing the dishes, she grew thoughtful instead and then answered. “Well, Izzie, I’ve always assumed it was The Wisemen, but you might want to check with Pastor Joe or your Sunday School teacher if you want an expert’s opinion.”

“Okay, but Dad just told me I should come ask you. He said, ‘Ask your mother. She knows everything.’”

“I wish,” sighed Mrs. Franz. “Mind if I ask what’s brought this question on?”

“The usual, Mom. Another fight between Beatrice Ann and Inga Sue. They argue about everything. It was so bad today that the teacher asked me to help her keep Bea and Inga from punching each other out. Miss Flowers chose me, she said, because I’m a natural peacemaker.”

“’Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the Children of God.’ What a fine compliment, Izzie, but keeping the peace between those two may not be so simple.”

“I know, but I’m ready to try. That’s why I’m looking for some grown-up advice to help settle their latest silly argument. According to Beatrice Ann, Santa and his reindeer left the North Pole with a sleigh full of toys on Christmas Eve, but along the way, got lost and didn’t get to Bethlehem in time to see the Baby while he was still in the manger. In fact, Santa didn’t find him until years and years later. Inga Sue says The Wisemen had been chasing a star to find Jesus but didn’t reach him until he was as big as a toddler and gone to another country. Still, they found him way before Santa, according to Inga. She says, truth be told, Jesus wouldn’t have cared whether The Wisemen showed up or not. Their gifts weren’t even slightly fun.”

“Well, she’s right about that. I’m sure Jesus would have preferred whatever Santa had picked out for him rather than gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But as far as us knowing who reached the Baby first, it seems we only have the Bible to guide us there—and though Santa’s flying sleigh would have been faster than riding a camel—only The Wisemen’s eventual visit to Jesus is recorded in the Scriptures. Kinda makes Inga Sue the winner.”

“Oh, dear. Bea isn’t going to like that.”

“Which is why you need to persuade the girls it doesn’t matter who got to Jesus first. What matters is that each of us follows Him—whomever and from wherever we are—to that place in our hearts called Love.”

“Sounds good to me, Mom. Still, you have to wonder, if Bea’s right and Santa DID arrive in Bethlehem Christmas Eve along with The Shepherds, what would he have been carrying in that bag of toys he was delivering to Jesus?”

“You do have to wonder, don’t you, Izzie, but frankly, I’m more curious what you and the girls would have brought to The Baby had you been there the night he was born.”

Wunderkind daughter that Izzie was—and big sister to a set of six-month-old identical twin boys—she chuckled impishly before replying, her eyes a-twinkle. “That’s easy, Mom,” she said. “What every baby needs the most—Pampers, Huggies, and Luvs!”

Merry Christmas, everybody!

Janet Hill