Sweet Little Jesus Boy

I first heard ‘Sweet Little Jesus Boy’ many years ago; I’ve rediscovered it recently. It was written in 1934 by Robert MacGimsey, a white man heavily influenced by the spirituals and gospel music of the Black church community he grew up in Louisiana. The story goes that one snowy Christmas Eve MacGimsey walked past drunken crowds in the New York City bars and wrote this song as an apology to Jesus.

Sweet little Jesus boy
They made you be born in a manger
Sweet little holy child
We didn’t know who you was
Didn’t know you’d come to save us Lord
To take our sins away
Our eyes were blind, we could not see
We didn’t know who you was

The lyrics express regret and sorrow for the way the world treated Jesus during His humble birth, life and eventual crucifixion.

We’re reminded of Isaiah’s prophecy of the suffering servant: ‘He was despised and rejected by mankind…’ and John’s words often read at Christmas: ‘…the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.’

We’re reminded too of the Saviour entering His world in the most humble and unassuming manner, experiencing rejection from the humanity he created.

Long time ago
You were born
Born in a manger Lord
Sweet little Jesus boy
The world treats you mean Lord
Treats me mean too
But that’s how things is down here
We don’t know who you is

The song reflects the suffering and adversity faced by many today, and humanity’s continuing spiritual blindness and ignorance. We still don’t recognize the true identity of Jesus, and the significance his birth. We continue to reject him. Christmas celebrations continue without an awareness of the Saviour who came to save us; we fail to recognize the divine presence still with us.

You done told us how
We is a-trying
Master you done shown us how
Even when you was dying
Just seem like we can’t do right
Look how we treated you
But please Sir forgive us Lord
We didn’t know who you was

I come again, remembering Jesus’ grace, asking for forgiveness, for the times I mistreat or ignore Jesus, praying for sight and for healing from my spiritual blindness.

I remember Jesus’ words: ‘For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me… when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

I pray that I will recognise Jesus in those I meet this week.

Sweet little Jesus boy
Born long time ago
Sweet little holy child
We didn’t know who you was