The Christmas Couch

Outside of a rich family’s house in a very exclusive neighborhood sat a couch that had been put out for the morning trash. It looked used but not worn. One of the legs of the couch had come loose and the couch leaned slightly because of it. Overall it was plain and looked out of place here, no doubt the reason for it being discarded.

A neighbor walked by in her expensive jogging suit, walking her well-groomed poodle. As she came across the plain-looking couch, she thought to herself: “what an ugly-looking couch for a family to have in this neighborhood. No wonder it is out here for the garbage truck!”

As in response to her thoughts, her poodle went up to the couch to spray on it. Before it could lift its leg and do the deed, she pulled the dog away and left cursing the couch for tempting her little Poochie. It wasn’t her well-behaved dogs fault: it was that god forsaken couch! Hopefully they were smart enough to have replaced that ugly couch with something finer, more fitting of this neighbor hood’s sensibilities, she thought to herself. With a harrumph, she and her Poochie departed the scene.

A woman on a bike slowed down to take a look at the couch that stood out like a sore-thumb here. She exclaimed to herself: “lol, you couldn’t give away anything that ordinary.” She looked up to the sky to see what a beautiful day it was. She then thought on all of the pleasurable things that can be done outside on such a day. As she resumed her pace she remembered the couch and rode off laughing to herself, unaware that a storm was on the way.

Then a man drove by in his very expensive automobile. He too slowed down to look at the couch that did not belong in this high-dollar neighborhood. It reminded him of the couch that he had when he was poor and struggling to make it in the world. But now he is a rich and successful businessman with a style that others long to imitate. The couch made him feel good that he was better off now and no longer down in life. He roared off into the dawn, the sound of his engine drowning out the songbirds of the awakening day. The song “My Way” came on and he turned it up and sang along with the lyrics. He stood tall now like the hero in the song he thought to himself.

The hired gardener pulls up in his old truck to tend to the property as usual. He is a simple man with a kindly but well worn face: dark from the sun and wrinkled. Though old, he was still strong from his many years of manual labor. His wife had died and his children had moved on. But he was not alone or lonely as they often came to visit with their families who loved him. He and his wife made sacrifices so that they could have a better life than the two of them could ever have hoped for. He was not born here, but his children were and this is home to him, to be buried with his wife here someday.

The old immigrant wasn’t smart in book learning, there was not the time. He sometimes wondered what life in these mansions was like. He also wondered why so many race through life as if it is something to be consumed quickly but should be savored slowly. He always stopped to smell the roses, especially those that he planted in memory of his wife, Rosa. He had been blessed with a good if simple life with family and friends that he cared about and that cared about him.

Maybe those in the mansions are happy because of their vast wealth and maybe they are not. Maybe they are no different than others or maybe their lives are a burden that few would want. Thinking on the good things in his life he no longer questions life in the mansions: for it is enough to have understanding of how life works and to play the role that you have been given to the best of your ability. When he lays his head to rest, it is with a smile on his face knowing he did his best with what God had given him.

He spots the couch and does not see worthlessness, but something of value. He determines to take it home to save it from destruction. He looks up to the sky and senses that a storm is coming. He knows that he has to take it before it is ruined in a deluge. He unloads his equipment and using a ramp shoves the couch onto the bed of his truck. As he was securing the leg on the discarded couch, he thought on how he came to be here as an immigrant. Like the couch, he too was out of place and un-wanted.

Pulling into the parking lot of his humble apartment complex, he spots a forlorn looking man who is moving in. He senses that the man is an immigrant like himself if from a different place. He stops to talk to the man and hears his story. The man’s name is Josef and he is a refugee from a war zone. His wife and son are to follow if they can get out before something terrible happens. He came with little possessions as they are to follow with his family.

The old immigrant asks the man if he could use a couch. He tells him that it is plain but that it came from the mansions on the hill so it is safe to use. Josef says yes and that he is grateful for this simple act of kindness from a stranger. He asks the stranger his name and the old immigrant says Jesus.

“Do you mean like in the Bible?” he asks.

“Yes,” the old immigrant replies.

“Then we have something in common,” he proclaims as he shares his faith.

They shake hands and then load the couch into the empty apartment. The old immigrant asks if he could use an old TV that his son no longer wanted. He says yes with gratitude again.

Josef is more than an immigrant: he is a refugee from a war zone. In coming to this country, he looked around to see people here living such comfortable lives that they could not relate to him. They probably only hear about pain and suffering on the news before they get up to raid the refrigerator. Maybe it is too much to ask that people who have a good life could understand what he has witnessed. Maybe he is just feeling sorry for himself and the role that he has to play in life. Maybe the pain and suffering of that life will one day feel far away to him. And maybe someday the wounds on his heart and mind will heal along with his damaged leg that is a physical reminder of why he is here.

It can’t be comfortable, he thinks to himself. But he sits on it anyways and his thoughts turn to his wife and child that he left behind to escape persecution of his new found faith in Christ. As a convert to Christianity in a Muslim nation his life is in danger along with his wife and son. He is grateful to those that helped him to get to this place of refuge but still a dark shadow is on his soul that came from there. He has physically escaped the persecution but not mentally and emotionally. They had struggled even before converting to Christianity. He found his peace inside but soon he was found out and he had to flee to save his very life. There is no peace for him now.

Because of a crack of thunder he looks out the window and sees a storm moving in. He stares intently on the storm and when lightning flashes he sees a vision in the dark storm clouds. It is a ghostly pale image of a rider on a horse that is the wind that is driving the storm across the sky. In seeing this vision he fears that the storm will bring destruction. It is a terrifying and frightening vision of what is coming.

He prays but finds little relief from the storm all around him. The darkness outside is like the darkness that is trying to invade his soul. He is resisting, yet he knows that any person could succumb if pushed far enough. It is not that God is not there, it is that he is being tested like Job of the bible. He continues to pray for relief from the struggle.

The coverage of the now gale force storm is on the news and pictures of terrified onlookers blanket the screen. The news caster looks terrified as well as she vainly tries to remain calm in the face of the storm. She has to speak loudly to be heard above the sound of the howling wind. Scenes of devastation and cries for help are reported along with commentary on the lack of preparation. Warnings were given but mostly went unheeded as most had heard this before.

There is no heat in the apartment or at least it feels that way. He is chilled to the bone and pulls a blanket over himself to hide from reality, if only for the moment. This too shall pass, he tells himself as he turns off the scenes of destruction. It reminds him of the war zone that he came out of, a man-made storm of devastation.

Seeking relief from the storm and memories he searches for something on the TV. He finds an old movie called: “It’s A Wonderful Life.” At first he doesn’t believe that he can identify with the main character of George Bailey, who comes from a different time and place. That is until George suffers loss after loss until he can’t take life anymore and determines to lose that as well. When he dives in the water to save a drowning man, he saves himself as well by putting a stranger’s need ahead of himself. George doesn’t really want to die he has just come to believe that his life isn’t worth living. By way of a miracle he is shown that there was a point to his sacrifice and the world is a better place because of what he gave up for the sake of others.

Josef wonders if his life has meaning and if there is a point to his suffering, pain and losses in life. However, he is still struggling with the shadow that is on his soul and the dark storm rages on as a reminder of what he is struggling with. He prays one last time for a miracle in his life like that of George Bailey. He lies down on the couch to try and get some much needed sleep. As he turns in his sleep from a nightmare he suddenly feels something stabbing him. He cries out in pain, not so much because of the hurt that he just experienced but because of all of the hurt in his life.

He looks down to see the object of his hurt: a lone pine needle that was sticking up from the fabric of the couch. He determines to investigate this couch only to discover bits and pieces of a holiday. He finds tinsel, scraps of paper and ribbon: memories of Christmas’ past. He is heartened by this find and knows that this couch once knew happier times. He now wonders if he can know a future with happiness in it. He is still tired and falls back to sleep yet this time he dreams of a Christmas with his family and friends. He dreams of a time of God’s blessing in his life and for those gathered around him.

The next morning Josef receives news that his wife and son were on their way to be with him. “Praise God,” he proclaims as he closes his eyes to say a prayer for their safe arrival. By the time they arrived the storm had passed along with the darkness in Josef’s life. It was a joyous reunion as he held up his son for the first time. Again he praised God. They will need help for a time, but with God’s blessing they will survive.

His wife Miriam had been sentenced to die for her marriage to Josef, a non-Muslim. She was to be hanged as punishment for leaving the faith. As with her husband Josef, a family member had betrayed them. Their marriage was ruled invalid and she was sentenced to suffer 100 lashes for adultery. With help Josef was able to flee. She received helped before the sentences could be carried out. Miraculously, she was released from prison after giving birth to their son.

Josef still fears for their lives. The shadow of death could return with new threats to their lives from merciless killers. However, he is prepared to face what comes his way and to not let fear rule. The wind could blow hot and another storm will tempest, yet his soul is ready to see it through for there is hope even in the darkest of days.

When Josef’s wife arrived with their son, she had with her furniture that had been donated to them. The items were in keeping with their culture so as to make them feel comfortable in their new home. However, Joseph determined to keep the plain couch as a reminder of his wrestling with darkness and of overcoming death. He will remember this time of trial and carry on no matter what is in their future. He proclaims to his wife that the couch will remain in his possession until the day that he dies.

He then explains what it means to him. The wood of the couch is like the wood of the Carpenter that supported him. The plain fabric is like what He would have worn. And the cushion were he laid his weary head was as a Comforter to him. In his time of despair, hopelessness, and loneliness this simple couch gave him a miracle. For him the couch represents the one that is rejected yet in the end is loved.

Only God knows why the struggle of life is greater for some than it is for others. Or why more is asked of some while others seemingly have it easier. Maybe it is just a test for them and for those around them. It could be a past sin that is being judged with fairness or not. It could simply be a consequence of a cruel and unkind world. Yet even in a caring world with good and kind people in it, sometimes the small in life are overlooked. It is not that they don’t care it is that they are too busy with their lives with too much in it to stop and help.

Only the strong survive, so the saying goes and the rewards go to those that reach for the brass ring. Truly the world is ruled by the strong, the powerful and rich. But the world belongs to all: big and small, strong and weak, rich and poor. The leaders and the lowly that understand are truly blessed both in this life and the next.

#islamicradicalism