This famous story as only Paul Harvey could tell it was aired over ABC Radio, on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2004.
Unable to trace its proper parentage, I have designated this as my "Christmas Story of the Man and the Birds." You know, THE Christmas Story, the God born a man in a manger and all that escapes some moderns, mostly, I think, because they seek complex answers to their questions and this one is so utterly simple. So for the cynics and the skeptics and the unconvinced I submit a modern parable.
Now the man to whom I'm going to introduce you was not a scrooge, he was a kind, decent, mostly good man. Generous to his family, upright in his dealings with other men. But he just didn't believe all that incarnation stuff which the churches proclaim at Christmas Time. It just didn't make sense and he was too honest to pretend otherwise. He just couldn't swallow the Jesus Story, about God coming to Earth as a man. "I'm truly sorry to distress you," he told his wife, "but I'm not going with you to church this Christmas Eve." He said he'd feel like a hypocrite. That he'd much rather just stay at home, but that he would wait up for them. And so he stayed and they went to the midnight service.
Shortly after the family drove away in the car, snow began to fall. He went to the window to watch the flurries getting heavier and heavier and then went back to his fireside chair and began to read his newspaper. Minutes later he was startled by a thudding sound. Then another, and then another. Sort of a thump or a thud. At first he thought someone must be throwing snowballs against his living room window. But when he went to the front door to investigate he found a flock of birds huddled miserably in the snow. They'd been caught in the storm and, in a desperate search for shelter, had tried to fly through his large landscape window.
Well, he couldn't let the poor creatures lie there and freeze, so he remembered the barn where his children stabled their pony. That would provide a warm shelter, if he could direct the birds to it. Quickly he put on a coat, galoshes, tramped through the deepening snow to the barn. He opened the doors wide and turned on a light, but the birds did not come in. He figured food would entice them in. So he hurried back to the house, fetched bread crumbs, sprinkled them on the snow, making a trail to the yellow-lighted wide open doorway of the stable. But to his dismay, the birds ignored the bread crumbs, and continued to flap around helplessly in the snow. He tried catching them. He tried shooing them into the barn by walking around them waving his arms. Instead, they scattered in every direction, except into the warm, lighted barn.
And then, he realized, that they were afraid of him. To them, he reasoned, I am a strange and terrifying creature. If only I could think of some way to let them know that they can trust me. That I am not trying to hurt them, but to help them. But how? Because any move he made tended to frighten them, confuse them. They just would not follow. They would not be led or shooed because they feared him. "If only I could be a bird," he thought to himself, "and mingle with them and speak their language. Then I could tell them not to be afraid. Then I could show them the way to safe, warm . . . to the safe warm barn. But I would have to be one of them so they could see, and hear and understand."
At that moment the church bells began to ring. The sound reached his ears above the sounds of the wind. And he stood there listening to the bells--"Adeste Fidelis"--listening to the bells pealing the glad tidings of Christmas. And he sank to his knees in the snow.
© Copyright 2002 by Double Q Country Radio
[Editor's Comment: I have heard this story as Paul Harvey has told it over many years. Thus far, I have not heard it this year, but I am sure I will. It eloquently gives an example of the incarnation of Jesus, the God-Man, who was born King of the Jews and the Savior of the world. He is indeed King of kings, and Lord of lords. There is coming a day when every eye will behold Him, and every knee will bow to Jesus Christ. Now is the time to accept Him as your Savior and Lord, and allow Him to sit upon the throne of your heart and rule your life.
Acts 2:21
And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the LORD
Shall be saved.
NKJV
Have you called upon Jesus to save you?
Let me invite you to call upon the Lord Jesus Christ on this Christmas Day. You will be glad you did. Where you will spend eternity will depend on this most important decision this 8th day of December 2015.
The Bible says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9-10, NIV).
When you received Jesus into your heart and life this day, would you write and let me know of your decision? I promise I will respond to you and write you back. Most importantly, the Holy Spirit will confirm your decision to invite Jesus into your heart and life. You will know down deep inside that God has saved you through His Son, Jesus Christ, who died on the Cross of Calvary for you.
My e-mail address is: [email protected]]
Unable to trace its proper parentage, I have designated this as my "Christmas Story of the Man and the Birds." You know, THE Christmas Story, the God born a man in a manger and all that escapes some moderns, mostly, I think, because they seek complex answers to their questions and this one is so utterly simple. So for the cynics and the skeptics and the unconvinced I submit a modern parable.
Now the man to whom I'm going to introduce you was not a scrooge, he was a kind, decent, mostly good man. Generous to his family, upright in his dealings with other men. But he just didn't believe all that incarnation stuff which the churches proclaim at Christmas Time. It just didn't make sense and he was too honest to pretend otherwise. He just couldn't swallow the Jesus Story, about God coming to Earth as a man. "I'm truly sorry to distress you," he told his wife, "but I'm not going with you to church this Christmas Eve." He said he'd feel like a hypocrite. That he'd much rather just stay at home, but that he would wait up for them. And so he stayed and they went to the midnight service.
Shortly after the family drove away in the car, snow began to fall. He went to the window to watch the flurries getting heavier and heavier and then went back to his fireside chair and began to read his newspaper. Minutes later he was startled by a thudding sound. Then another, and then another. Sort of a thump or a thud. At first he thought someone must be throwing snowballs against his living room window. But when he went to the front door to investigate he found a flock of birds huddled miserably in the snow. They'd been caught in the storm and, in a desperate search for shelter, had tried to fly through his large landscape window.
Well, he couldn't let the poor creatures lie there and freeze, so he remembered the barn where his children stabled their pony. That would provide a warm shelter, if he could direct the birds to it. Quickly he put on a coat, galoshes, tramped through the deepening snow to the barn. He opened the doors wide and turned on a light, but the birds did not come in. He figured food would entice them in. So he hurried back to the house, fetched bread crumbs, sprinkled them on the snow, making a trail to the yellow-lighted wide open doorway of the stable. But to his dismay, the birds ignored the bread crumbs, and continued to flap around helplessly in the snow. He tried catching them. He tried shooing them into the barn by walking around them waving his arms. Instead, they scattered in every direction, except into the warm, lighted barn.
And then, he realized, that they were afraid of him. To them, he reasoned, I am a strange and terrifying creature. If only I could think of some way to let them know that they can trust me. That I am not trying to hurt them, but to help them. But how? Because any move he made tended to frighten them, confuse them. They just would not follow. They would not be led or shooed because they feared him. "If only I could be a bird," he thought to himself, "and mingle with them and speak their language. Then I could tell them not to be afraid. Then I could show them the way to safe, warm . . . to the safe warm barn. But I would have to be one of them so they could see, and hear and understand."
At that moment the church bells began to ring. The sound reached his ears above the sounds of the wind. And he stood there listening to the bells--"Adeste Fidelis"--listening to the bells pealing the glad tidings of Christmas. And he sank to his knees in the snow.
© Copyright 2002 by Double Q Country Radio
[Editor's Comment: I have heard this story as Paul Harvey has told it over many years. Thus far, I have not heard it this year, but I am sure I will. It eloquently gives an example of the incarnation of Jesus, the God-Man, who was born King of the Jews and the Savior of the world. He is indeed King of kings, and Lord of lords. There is coming a day when every eye will behold Him, and every knee will bow to Jesus Christ. Now is the time to accept Him as your Savior and Lord, and allow Him to sit upon the throne of your heart and rule your life.
Acts 2:21
And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the LORD
Shall be saved.
NKJV
Have you called upon Jesus to save you?
Let me invite you to call upon the Lord Jesus Christ on this Christmas Day. You will be glad you did. Where you will spend eternity will depend on this most important decision this 8th day of December 2015.
The Bible says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9-10, NIV).
When you received Jesus into your heart and life this day, would you write and let me know of your decision? I promise I will respond to you and write you back. Most importantly, the Holy Spirit will confirm your decision to invite Jesus into your heart and life. You will know down deep inside that God has saved you through His Son, Jesus Christ, who died on the Cross of Calvary for you.
My e-mail address is: [email protected]]