Play! Listen! Talk!

"Look at the princess!" the little 4-year-old girl said as she pointed to a picture of Mary in a Nativity scene. I must admit I was a little surprised that she didn't know who Mary was. Surely kids know the story of Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus! But as I thought about it, I realized that

• to a young child Christmas most often means Santa Claus and presents, and
• to a young girl, beautiful young women are most often Disney princesses

So while I could lament that our culture crowds out Jesus and His birth, especially at this season, or I could be dismayed that her parents haven't told the good news of Jesus, I was so glad to be the one who could say, "Mary looks like a princess, doesn't she. But she was even more special than a princess! She was the mother of Jesus. And at Christmas we get to celebrate and do lots of special things because we remember that Jesus was born."

I wonder how many other opportunities I'll have in Sunday School to help kids hear the true Christmas Story.