Empty Boxes of life

Advent, Christmas, disappointed, cheated, lies, false

Dr. Clovis Chappel, one of the South's most gifted and beloved preachers, told of the first Christmas Tree Entertainment he attended as a boy in Sunday school. It was in the village church, and everyone was there. The tree stood bright with candles and loaded down with presents. Santa Claus pranced genially among the people, distributing presents to those whose names were called. There was a young feeble minded man there, a hired hand on somebody's farm looking at the tree with eager eyes. His name had not been called and his face was growing downcast when suddenly Santa Claus took down the largest box on the tree, looked at it, and called his name. A look of radiance came into the poor, stupid face as he reached out his hands for the box. With nervous fingers he untied the string and opened it; and then anticipation gave way to pitiful despair. The box was empty. Somebody had play a trick on the most underprivileged person in the village.

It is a terrible story, but not so terrible as the stories that come up out of life. This world is full of empty boxes, and we've all taken turns playing the idiot What is there in half the glittering things we reach for, and spend our energy to get? Hands reaching up; empty boxes! "Give me the goods," we said; grasping them, we found they were phantom goods. "I must see life!" and it wasn't life at all; it was just pitiful staring into empty boxes.