On Christmas Day 1988, a beautiful story by Karen Zautyk appeared in the New York Daily News titled “Remember, It is Love That Makes Us Rich.” The story tells about a place in Edinburgh, Scotland, called The Museum of Childhood. This museum is filled with childhood treasures of the upper classes such as elegant teddy bears, puppets, rocking horses . . . and cases and cases of dolls.

“In one corner, however, in a solitary case is a worn raggedy doll, much the worse for wear . . . [A sign on it says,] `Doll belonging to London slum child, circa 1905’ . . .”

It is a sad and dreary doll “that can bring tears to your eyes because it is so pitiful. And because it is so very, very beautiful” because some slum child loved it so much. Then the author of this article adds these meaningful words:  

“If you cannot appreciate the story of that raggedy doll, you cannot appreciate the story of Christmas. A pitiful doll loved into beauty—[that’s] us. We are that doll. Look at us. Who are we that God should love us so? There is nothing to recommend us. Nothing but God’s love—love that came down at Christmas.”[1]

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1. Contributed by Dr. John Bardsley.