What Good is a King?

Since we don’t have kings in the good ole US of A, perhaps you, like me, have wondered, “What good is a king anyway?” Wikipedia describes a king as “a man who rules a country because of inheritance and usually comes to power when one of his parents dies.” For most of recorded history, much of the world, both civilized and uncivilized, have been ruled by kings. Nations have been led into war by valiant nobles and countries have been guided through times of peace and prosperity all under the direction of monarchs. In the book of Proverbs, the behavior of the king determines how the nation fares… If a king judges the poor with fairness, his throne will be established forever. Prov. 29:14; or … By justice a king gives a country stability, but kings who are greedy for bribes tear it down. Prov. 29:4.

"Good King Wenceslas" is a less popular Christmas carol about a king who goes out to give charity to the poor on the Feast of Stephen (observed the day after Christmas). While the king is traveling with his servant, his servant grows cold and wants to give up and return home. Wenceslas urges him to continue and to follow in the king’s footsteps. As the king takes the lead against the bitter cold, the servant’s feet are miraculously warmed as he walks in the king’s footsteps. This carol is based on the life of the historical Saint Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia (907–935), known as the patron saint of the people of the Czech Republic.
Read below the lines of the song…

Good King Wenceslas looked out,
On the Feast of Stephen,
When the snow lay round about,
Deep and crisp and even;
Brightly shone the moon that night,
Tho' the frost was cruel,
When a poor man came in sight,
Gath'ring winter fuel.

"Hither, page, and stand by me,
If thou know'st it, telling,
Yonder peasant, who is he?
Where and what his dwelling?"

"Sire, he lives a good league hence,
Underneath the mountain;
Right against the forest fence,
By Saint Agnes' fountain."

"Bring me flesh, and bring me wine,
Bring me pine logs hither:
Thou and I will see him dine,
When we bear them thither."
Page and monarch, forth they went,
Forth they went together;
Thro' the rude wind's wild lament
And the bitter weather.

"Sire, the night is darker now,
And the wind blows stronger;
Fails my heart, I know not how,
I can go no longer."
Mark my footsteps, good my page;
Tread thou in them boldly:
Thou shalt find the winter's rage
Freeze thy blood less coldly."

In his master's steps he trod,
Where the snow lay dinted;
Heat was in the very sod
Which the saint had printed.
Therefore, Christian men, be sure,
Wealth or rank possessing,
Ye who now will bless the poor,
Shall yourselves find blessing.

Many St. Luke’s employees and units have blessed others this year with their generosity. Whether it was exceeding the goal during the United Way campaign or the recent gifts of toys, clothes, merchandise and gift cards to the families of St. Luke’s with Love, the employees of St. Luke’s have found truth in the words of the king who said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive”. May the blessings of the Christmas season and the joy of giving to others fill you with love and peace amidst the hustle and bustle of the holidays.