Do you see what I see?

My favorite Christmas song has always been “Do you hear what I hear?”, especially the part where we sing, “Pray for peace, people everywhere”. Because if everyeone in the world (and I mean everyone) were to drop what they are doing right now—working, fighting, worrying, watching TV—to pray for peace, it would actually work; it’s hard to inflict harm on someone when you’re praying. The mental image of that happening, even just for a moment, always gives me goosebumps. Makes me think of swords being beaten into plowshares (Isaiah 2:4).

My favorite version of this song is by Todd Agnew, who adds a short but insightful interlude:

A star, a star, shining in the night:
How does this look from so high?

A shepherd boy, shivering with fright:
How does this look to your eyes?

A king to come, so far and oh so wise:
Are you ready for your surprise?

And God on high, paying such a price:
Giving your Son for His bride!

I especially love the line about the king: following a mysterious star, expecting great splendor and circumstance; I can imagine his surprise when he finds a dirty manger with a humble baby.

Agnew actually has an entire Christmas album called “Do you see what I see?”, which attempts to open up the story of Jesus’ birth by imagining what it might have looked like from the perspectives of other people who were there. He even wrote a song about the inn-keeper, who’s stressed from being overworked, and doesn’t have time for this poor, pregnant couple and their baby. She has no idea that, in turning a blind eye to their suffering, she is actually ‘blowing off’ the son of God. How many times do we do the same?