The Little Drummer Boy

Post by Bob Butcher

“The Little Drummer Boy” is a popular Christmas song written in 1941. It was originally known as “Carol of the Drum” and is based on a traditional Czech carol. Although there isn’t any reference to a drummer boy in the Christmas story in Matthew 1–2 and Luke 2, the point of the carol goes straight to the heart of the meaning of worship. The carol describes how a boy is summoned by the Magi to the scene of Christ’s birth.

Unlike the wise men, however, the drummer has no gift—so he gives what he has. He plays his drum, saying, “I played my best for Him.”

This echoes the worship Jesus described when He told of the widow and her two coins: “ ‘Truly I tell you,’ he said, ‘this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on’ ” (Luke 21:3-4).

God is worthy of our all. All the drummer boy had was his drum and all the poor widow had were her two coins, but the God they worshiped was worthy of their all. He is worthy of our all as well, having given His all for us.

One of my favorite daily devotional writers, Bill Crowder, wrote this and It struck home in my heart so big today. It really speaks to who I am. There are so many things I messed up in my past that only Christ can overcome and forgive. You add that past which I bring to the simple ministry lifestyle Kathy and I have chosen to live today in comparison to most people, and there is little we have to offer back to worship the Lord except the love and care we have for others through our YWAM ministry, our local church, and our NASCAR Racing Family.

It's why we do what we do for all these years in YWAM, MRO / NASCAR, and our local church. We can only bring our best like the Little Drummer Boy and the poor widow did. But that is why we love Christmas so much. God is worthy of our all. So today if you are like Kathy and me remember that "your little is a lot when you give your all." Merry Christmas everyone!

About Bob Butcher

On race day, Bob Butcher and other MRO chaplains perform a short church service for drivers, their families, crew members and anybody else with a garage pass. He is Pastor/Chaplain at Beyond Checkered Flags Ministries (Self Employed), Pastor / Chaplain at NASCAR and Pastor / Chaplain at Motor Racing Outreach Association. Bob and his wife Kathy have been married since 1980.