Has Christmas Ben Blocked?

Part 1:
At the King Baptist Church they liked Christmas a lot,
Though Ben Block, treasurer and deacon, did not.
He hated the season, the whole Christmas layout;
For expense of festivities he’d issue no payout.
For his reasons, of which some were known and some hidden,
Many desired from his posts he be ridden.
But he was the source, within this small town,
Of what keeps the church living, without going down.
The banker he was, and on many an occasion
He saved this little church from a forced liquidation.
In return, he expected to be given charge
Of finances, no matter how small or how large.
So too many members on him felt dependent,
And stood by and let him be “superintendent.”
However, unknown was his true hidden reason
For despising this day and its whole merry season.
It must have had something to do with his past;
Regardless, his attitude was considered aghast.
So now, for the vigil of Christmas approaching,
The church was preparing, but Ben was encroaching.
Persuasion was useless by the full board of deacons;
No parties, no dramas, no lights lit as beacons—
Unless for the next time the debt be too grating,
That Ben pledge no surety to uplift credit’s rating.

 

Part 2:
So this year the members all turned to Clarice,
A grand pious lady who’d often made peace.
Clever and witty, she had quite an art
Of beating swords into plowshares; of softening a heart.
She said, “Go ahead with your party and play--
String up your lights; make the night like the day.”
So the members there present took Clarice at her word.
From the bank Ben was watching, and his temper was stirred.
In minutes the church door was swung open wide,
And in stepped the banker; his expression was snide.
He said, “Don’t you know the church makes no provision
For this type of thing, and you’ll cause much division?”
The members replied, “Well, it’s out of your hands--
It’s our treat; on you we will make no demands.”
“Is that so?” said Ben. “Well, you need to recall
That you must have approval to use the church hall--
Approval from me, who as chairman, deny
Your right to this nonsense; so leave now—goodbye.”
The people stood ‘round and their shoulders they shrugged;
A few were dejected, and each other they hugged.
They started to leave till Clarice raised her hand,
As this was the moment she’d carefully planned.

 

Part 3:
Clarice stepped toward Ben, looked him straight in the eye,
And said, “Brother Ben, won’t you please tell us ‘why’?”
“Because Christmas,” Ben said, “to me is just sadness;
I can’t stand my grief in the midst of your gladness.
Years ago it was happy, but now I’m undone,
For on that date I lost both my wife and my son.
We were late in our travels one cold Christmas Eve
When a car on the highway before us did weave.
I threw on the brakes and got into a slide,
But I could not protect the right passenger’s side.
My loved ones were bleeding—I pled them hang on;
But before Christmas morning their spirits were gone.
From that Christmas onward, it’s a day, not of light,
But a time of remorse-- I feel God did me spite.”
Clarice lowered her head and she took Ben’s right hand,
And she said, “Ben, please know that I do understand,
That Christmas for many, including myself,
Brings back tragic memories from sorrow’s wide shelf.
But I learned within me, through prayer long ago,
That the reason Christ came was for us to bestow
On Him all our burdens and all of our cares,
And experience the comfort that He gladly shares.
So when grief was so heavy and my spirit forlorn
I let my heart be the manger in which Christ can be born.”

The tears that welled up in Ben’s sad hallow eyes
He could barely hold back as his spirit did rise.
He said, “Thank you, Clarice; you are such a wise friend
That I think the blame I’ve misplaced now shall end.
My wife and my son in His arms now rejoice;
Only praise and thanksgiving shall proceed from my voice.”

So if Christmas brings back to the throes of your mind
Events in your life that were very unkind,
Turn your eyes back to Him on this next Christmas morn
And let your heart be the manger in which Christ can be born.

End