• Some Children See Him

  • Dec 27 2024
  • Length: 5 mins
  • Podcast

Some Children See Him

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  • Summary

  • Luke 2:15-18 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.

    Reverend Bates Burt, an Anglican pastor in Pontiac Michigan, had an interesting Christmas tradition. Every year he wrote an original Christmas carol as a gift to his family and friends. When Reverend Burt died in 1949, his son Alfred decided to keep the tradition going, but with his father gone, he found himself without a lyricist.

    Wilha Hutson, a friend of the family and organist at his father's church, agreed to help him. He wanted the carol for 1949 to also an announcement of he and his wife Anne's first child. Hutson wrote the lyrics for Sleep, Baby Mine, but she also wrote a second set of lyrics.

    Diane Burt, the granddaughter of Alfred and Anne Burt, describes what inspired Wilha Hutson to write that second set of lyrics:

    "…Wilha noted that Mom even saw Jesus as a little child would see him... She realized that if she were a child in Africa... she would see Jesus as a black man. [And] a Chinese child would see the Son of God with almond eyes, while an Indian child would see Jesus with dark hair and brown skin. As she never had before, Wilha grasped the concept of God’s being a universal spirit…”

    We know the song Wilha Hutson wrote as Some Children See Him.

    Some Children See Him has been recorded many times. I love the version by James Taylor, from his album, James Taylor at Christmas. The song moves me profoundly, and it is rare that I hear it without ending up with tears in my eyes.

    Jesus said that we should "receive the kingdom of God like a child." We should simply see Jesus like the children of Hutson's song see him; like us, but at the same time the Son of God. Hutson's words hit the nail on the head:

    The children in each different place Will see the baby Jesus' face Like theirs, but bright with heavenly grace, And filled with holy light.

    The simple but miraculous fact is that God took on human form and became one of us. He lived among us, loved us and served us. Ultimately, he loved us enough to give his life for us and pay the price for our sins, once and for all, and because of that, he is worthy of our worship.

    The last verse of the song says it best:

    O lay aside each earthly thing And with thy heart as offering, Come worship now the infant King. 'Tis love that's born tonight!


    Father, thank you for loving us enough to become one of us. Thank you for the gift of salvation. Always make us mindful that we should love others with love like yours; love that not only sent your son to Earth, but put him on the cross. Amen.

    This devotion was written and read by Cliff McCartney.


    Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.


    If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is:

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