The Little Drummer Boy

Come, they told me pa-rum pum pum pum
Our newborn King to see, pa-rum pum pum pum
Our finest gifts we bring pa-rum pum pum pum
To lay before the King pa-rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum. rum pum pum pum
So to honor Him pa-rum pum pum pum
When we come

Little Baby pa-rum pum pum pum
I am a poor boy too, pa-rum pum pum pum
I have no gift to bring pa-rum pum pum pum
That’s fit to give our King pa- rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum
Shall I play for you, pa-rum pum pum pum
on my drum?

Mary nodded pa-rum pum pum pum
The Ox and Lamb kept time pa-rum pum pum pum
I played my drum for Him pa-rum pum pum pum
I played my best for Him pa -rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum
Then He smiled at me pa-rum pum pum pum
Me and my drum

“The Little Drummer Boy” (originally known as “Carol of the Drum”) is a popular Christmas song written around 1941. As you read above, it’s about a poor young bog who was summoned to the nativity where he was supposed to give the infant Jesus a gift. Having no gift, he played his drum, and the baby Jesus smiled.

How do you buy a gift for someone who already has everything?

It’s officially December and Kevin and I have gifts stashed in various rooms in our apartment. Some of the gifts truly stumped us – we knew we needed to buy something for one person in particular, but neither of knew what this person would enjoy. We paced the aisles in Walmart fruitlessly for twenty minutes until finally one object caught our attention. “That’s it!” We knew we had found a good gift.

But I can’t imagine buying a gift for God. He truly does have everything. And it’s not like I can get a gift that can surprise Him.

Does that mean I shouldn’t even try?

No. We aren’t called to give God our iPads, cars, or jewelry. We are exhorted to give Him our thanks.

Psalm 118: 28-29 says, “You are my God, and I will give You thanks. You are my God; I will exalt You. Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His faithful love endures forever.”

Jeremiah 33:11 says there will be heard again “the voice of the groom and the bride, and the voice of those saying, Praise the LORD of Hosts, for the LORD is good; His faithful love endures forever as they bring thank offerings to the temple of the LORD.”

God never wearies of our praise. We never exhaust our thanks. His mercies are new each morning, so our praises never cease.

Is my gratitude enough?

1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12 both remind us that God has given each of us different gifts but we are still a part of the same body whose goal is to bring praise to the same Lord. Some of the gifts include: service, teaching, encouragement, giving, and leading. No matter the gift, we are called to obey and bring glory to our Creator.

Like the little drummer boy, we are poor men and women – we can never own anything grand enough that  is fit for the King, the Lord Jesus. What we can do is be thankful for the gifts He has entrusted us with and faithfully praise His name.