The next entry for my Blog is Little Drummer Boy, which was written by Katherine K. Davis in 1941. A link to Pentatonix performing the song is at the bottom of the Blog.
Little Drummer Boy
Come they told me
Pa rum pum pum pum
A new born King to see,
Pa rum pum pum pum
Our finest gifts we bring
Pa rum pum pum pum
To lay before the King
Pa rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum
So to honor Him
Pa rum pum pum pum,
When we come.
Little Baby
Pa rum pum pum pum
I am a poor boy too,
Pa rum pum pum pum
I have no gift to bring
Pa rum pum pum pum
That’s fit to give our King
Pa rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum
Shall I play for you!
Pa rum pum pum
On my drum.
Mary nodded
Pa rum pum pum pum
The ox and lamb kept time
Pa rum pum pum pum
I played my drum for Him
Pa rum pum pum
I played my best for Him
Pa rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum
Then He smiled at me
Pa rum pum pum pum
Me and my drum.
Ok, I know this is not necessarily considered a Christian song, but I believe there is a very nice message when you stop and think about what is being sung. The little boy who played the drum was asked to come and play before a new born king. I have to think that this little drummer didn’t truly realize the magnitude of what he had been asked to do. The song says the others with him are bringing their special gifts to this king to honor him, to show him how important he is to them. Note that the little boy isn’t bringing a specially purchased gift for this infant king, he may have been so young that he didn’t understand the significance of this king and why a gift is even necessary.
As the group arrives at their destination, the little boy sees the infant king lying in a manger in a stable. The little boy has probably had nothing of value his entire life and he assumes this baby lying in the hay is heading for the same life, so a bond is already being formed. The boy sees the gift the others have brought and laid at the feet of the infant king and now he probably feels bad that he didn’t bring a gift, maybe he would have to go without food to get this new king a gift; someone he didn’t even know. He only had one gift to basically share, and that was a song he played on his drum. Perhaps that is how he earned money to eat, playing on the streets of his home. It is interesting in that even though he said he had no gift, the father had given him the ability to play a drum. As Mary, the mother of the infant king, hears the question; she nodded. I am sure she understood the little boy was giving all he had for her son.
A little humor is added when the lyrics reference the ox and lamb keeping time with the drummer, it is almost as if these creatures created by God, knew this was a special time. The little drummer played his very best and was rewarded by the best gift he could ever imagine, a smile from the son of God. The little boy had only a song to bring and the infant king gave him a smile, which was the only thing he could give at this point.
Yes, I basically repeated the lyrics with some additional commentary; but go back and look at the words again and try to apply them to you and your life and the lives of others. There are many who never knew who Jesus was and what he had to offer until someone told them about him. Maybe you went to church all of your life and had heard about Jesus every Sunday, but what of those who have never been to a church, never had a bible, or never heard the message of salvation? This little drummer probably did not understand what just happened to him until later, but what if he had never come to that stable that day? We don’t know if he became a Christian, but to me; the smile on the face of Jesus would be with this little boy forever and hopefully for eternity.
Many people are ashamed when they start thinking about Jesus and what he did for them. They think about all the bad they have done, the people they have hurt, and the fact that they have been keeping their back turned to God. Christ gave his life for us, a bunch of sinners. He gave the ultimate gift so we could spend forever with him and our fellow believers. The little drummer gave all he had when he played his drum. What has Jesus asked of us? He only asks us to accept him as our Lord and Savior, and we will spend eternity with him. He gave us this life on earth and all he asks in return for eternal life is to become his children. So, the little drummer boy gave all he had, Jesus gave his life, and all we have to do is accept him as our sacrifice.
Even though this little drummer boy is not in our bibles and maybe we have only heard about him in this song, I would like for you to think about how you too can give all you have to Christ. Hopefully he will put a smile on your face!
Click to Hear Pentatonix Sing Little Drummer Boy