Dear Cohen the Goodhearted,

On Thanksgiving Eve, you and I were outside playing when you started walking toward the house with real intensity. I stopped you and asked, “Where are you going?” You looked up at me and sang a line from the theme song of the “Mighty Mouse” cartoon, “Here I come to save the day!”

It caught me by surprise. I didn’t know you knew who Mighty Mouse was, let alone that you could sing the theme song. I grew up listening to that song while watching a small black-and-white screen.

I think you might have been a little confused, because you were wearing your Superman dog tags. But you have a gift for mixing all your superheroes together. Last week, you had on Spiderman pajamas, Superman dog tags and a Ninja Turtle scarf. And yes, in your little heart, you do have a desire to save the day.

Cohen, I hope you continue to move toward that purpose. You see, every hero has a battle to fight. But did you know there is more to that song? One of the lines goes, “When there is a wrong to right/ Mighty Mouse will join the fight.” My dear little friend, I hope you can find the battle the Creator created you to fight. Yes, you can save the day, but only one can save the world, and His name is Jesus.

I wonder what it was like 2,000 years ago when the time came for Jesus to leave the heavenlies and come to be the Savior of the world. I wonder if there was a holy hush as He stood up and shed his identity as King of kings and Lord of lords, for the Creator to become subject to His creation. I wonder if an angel asked him, “Where are you going?” and if He answered, “Here I go to save the world.”

And how do we find this Savior of the world? “This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger” (Luke 2:12).

Go save the day, my little buddy, but don’t forget the One who can save the world

Love,

Poppy

NOTE TO ALL: And to all my readers, I want to give you a Christmas gift. You have (or your church has) paid for this publication to come into your home each week. I am grateful you have used your hard-earned money to subscribe, and I pray it has blessed you in some way.

So how can I say “Merry Christmas” and “thank you” at the same time? I want to give you the Baptist Messenger as a free gift. No more putting a check into the mailbox or reimbursing your church; it will be free for Oklahoma Baptists starting in 2019.

I know you are shocked at the words “free” and “Baptist” going together, but Oklahoma Baptists have decided that, as of January 2019, you will receive the Baptist Messenger at no cost. Now you can afford a cup of coffee and a donut while you sit back and read the fine articles and news in this publication.

In order to provide the Messenger free of charge, we had to make some changes. 1) We will print it twice a month, not monthly. I know some of you will experience withdrawal symptoms on the week it is not printed, but don’t worry. 2) In the off weeks, you can go online and read the digital edition of my column at www.baptistmessenger.com. I will continue to write an article each week: one week in print and the next online. We also have a patch—excuse me; I think it is called an app. See the ad on the cover.

Now, how can I say “I” want to give this to you? This is true because, as Southern Baptists, we have what we call the Cooperative Program. Each week, as I give my money to my local church, part of the funds are gathered with money from other churches who give to this cause. That money is divided up among the many good works we Baptists do. This means part of my money goes to help fund the Baptist Messenger. I give to my local church, so you can have this publication as a gift.

Here’s some more good news. You know how you been cutting out that article and sending it to friends? Each week you do so, it costs you 47 cents. Instead in January, your Baptist friends can have a Messenger subscription of their own.

I don’t always like changes, but when the change is free, and I can use it to bless others, I say bring it on!