More than 20 years ago a little book was published that has proved an enduring business bestseller - The One Minute Manager. The basic premise is that there are three things effective managers need to do in interacting with their employees, and that those communications should be brief, clear, and concise.

A chance misspelling—making it a one-minute manger—once got me wondering about how well we do in communicating the message of Christmas. While we would certainly love the opportunity to give a curious child or an uninformed adult a 60-minute presentation of the truths and importance of Christ's birth, it's more likely that we would have only 60 seconds to explain "the reason for the season." So how might we prepare to share the joy of Christmas with a friend, neighbor, colleague, or classmate—or even a stranger at the store—in a brief, clear, and concise way: "A One-Minute Manger"?

Giving

Almost everyone associates Christmas with giving—both shopping for and getting presents—so your one-minute conversation easily can focus on the idea of gifts: People often make lists of the things they think they want for Christmas and overlook what they really need. God knew exactly what we needed most, and because he knew us so well and loved us so much he gave us just that—a Savior who is Christ the Lord. We needed Jesus because each and every one of us is someone who sins, and each and every one of those sins has earned us death and hell. At Christmas, God gave us his Son to save us from that.

Travel

Your one minute can focus on the idea of travel, since so many people take trips during the holidays—and many have heard of the journeys of Mary and Joseph and the Magi: Christmas tells us about the biggest and greatest trip ever made—the Son of God left his glory in heaven and came to earth to be one of us, condescending even to be born, a little baby in the most humble circumstances—in a manger! He came because we needed someone to go in our place—to live perfectly, which we could not, and to die as our substitute, so we wouldn't have to. And now anyone who trusts in him will go to heaven.

Celebration

People also associate Christmas with parties, so celebration can be a focus of your one minute: Not only is the holiday Jesus' birthday, it's also a time of "good news of great joy," as the angels told the shepherds (Luke 2:10). Everyone knows how good it feels to be forgiven when you've been naughty instead of nice. Jesus was born, lived, died, and rose again to win us forgiveness for all our sins. That freedom from guilt is something we will want to celebrate in every way we can!