A Modern Christmas

I was driving home watching all the beautiful lights and nativity scenes set by the road and thinking to myself that it was going to be difficult to explain things like a stable and a manger to Alina (my almost 4 year old) this year when we talked about the Christmas story. She's just now old enough to really discuss the meaning of Christmas, the Savior's birth, etc. As I pondered the concept, God spoke to me and gave me a new way of viewing it:




We think of a nice warm stable with fluffy hay and pleasant baahing and mooing in the background, and big bales of hay to sleep in, a deep manger just the right size for a baby Jesus who is wrapped up in clean linen strips and happily sleeping... but realistically, a more acurate image would be as follows: a poor, tired Mary who is soaking wet in a hoodie and jeans, freezing nearly to death huddled together with Joseph who is himself worn out from trying to find a place for them, feeling like a failure as a husband because he couldn't find anywhere but the backside of a kmart to make a shelter out of cardboard boxes for his family. They have a few tarps to keep out the rain and cold, and a milk crate stuffed with Joseph's hoodie for baby Jesus, who would realistically be screaming at the top of his lungs because he was so shocked at the nasty cold reality of the parkinglot!


The scripture states that there was no room for them in the inn but that they were allowed to go stay in the stables. We automatically infuse our romanticized picture of a cooing Jesus, a happy but tired Mary and a proud watchful Joseph. We have the tendency to leave out things like Mary being a young teenager (probably 15 or 16), Joseph being pretty young as well, and Jesus being a human baby which means crying and pooping and being hungry. We leave out things like Mary being disowned by her community because she was pregnant out of wedlock and no one believed her story -- meaning no baby shower, no wonderful cribs and playpens and sweet little clothes.

This Christmas season as you celebrate the birth of the King, go over to tent city and bring some food and blankets for the homeless. Let's remember what Christ actually was born into and throw out the lovely nativity scene we have engrained in our minds.