FOR our family, one of the highlights this year was the wedding of our son, Christian. During the service, my mind flashed back over the years when he was a baby, a child, a boy, a teenager, and a student - he’s now 32 and a doctor.

For many years in his childhood, it was generally taken for granted in our house that the most spiritually minded person in our family was Christian. My recollections of his “Christian” moments are numerous - too many to mention here. (You know the sort of thing: "Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings,” etc). But one occasion comes immediately to mind.

One year, several weeks before Christmas, totally unprompted, at 7.30 one morning, Christian (age five) said in a very matter of fact way: “I like looking at the toys I got last Christmas. They remind me of Jesus.”

What a delightful thing for a child to say. Because he had received them at Jesus’ birthday, they reminded him of Jesus. Wouldn’t that be a lovely thing to say about any of the gifts we receive this Christmas? Or last Christmas? Or a gift received maybe 50 Christmases ago?

Wouldn’t that be the perfect thing to say about all the services we attend, all the carols we sing, and all the cards we receive this Christmas?

And wouldn’t that be the loveliest thing anyone could ever say about our good deeds, our signs of affection, and our acts of love throughout the year?

And wouldn’t that be the greatest tribute ever paid to any church members, if after all our services, our words and our acts of witness this Christmas (or anytime?), the people in this community were able to say of us: "They remind me of Jesus!”

With my warmest wishes to you all to have a very happy Christmas.

Rev David Wiseman

Retired United Reformed Church minister