The Truth About Christmas

So let me get this straight.  Mary and Joseph make a quick trip in late December over to Bethlehem in a Dodge Colt - no wait, it was a donkey, right?  Every innkeeper in town turns them away - how rude!  They get stuck in some stinky stable with a bunch of mooing cows, braying donkeys, and clucking hens, and that night Mary delivers Jesus, who never cries and is the perfect baby.  Meanwhile, in another part of town, - or was it over the hills and through the woods? -  a choir of angels puts on a splendid concert in the park for the surprised shepherds, who quickly run to the stable to see the baby.  That same night, three kings on camels follow the star all the way from the "East," (China I think) bringing toys for the baby, which is why we give toys to our kids now on Christmas morning.    I think that's about it. I hope I got it right, because I know it is really important.

Well, I 'm afraid that it's not quite right. It seems that over the years, some strange and not very Biblical things have happened to the Christmas story.  Here are some examples:

• That quick trip was about 80 miles and took at least a week, probably entirely on foot, as no where does the Bible indicate that Mary (or Joseph for that matter) rode on a donkey or any other kind of animal.
• Jesus was likely born in late September or early October.  December 25 was actually the date of a festival honoring the sun.  The early Catholic Church wanted to replace this festival with a Christian holiday, and thus set the date as the day to celebrate Christ's birth.
• Innkeepers are not even mentioned in the Christmas story (though they are in almost every Christmas play performed since then!).  In fact, the word often translated as "inn" can also be translated as "guest room,"  meaning that Jesus may have been born out back behind the house of relatives who had no more space in their guest room. 
• The Bible does not mention the words stable or barn or even cave.  We just know that Jesus was laid in a manger, so we can assume that there were animals around.
• The Bible says that "while they were there" Mary gave birth.  They may have been in Bethlehem for weeks before the actual delivery.
• The Bible does not say that Jesus never cried, though it makes for a nice Christmas song.
• Neither does the Bible say that the angels sang. In fact, it says instead, "Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel praising God and saying,  “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."
• And one last thing, the Bible does not talk about kings from the east, but wise men, or magi. Nor does it mention camels.

It isn't hard to see how some of these misconceptions crept into the Christmas story.  Many of them "make sense."  But the Christmas story is not really about shepherds, wise men, donkeys, camels, innkeepers, stables, mangers, angels, or even Mary and Joseph.  It is about Jesus, and the wonderful, amazing, incredible, and mind blowing fact that God became man and lived among us, and then died as a sacrifice for our sins. I can put up with a few misconceptions as long as we don't lose the wonder and awe that accompanies such an astonishing and miraculous thing.  When you get overwhelmed this Christmas season - and you probably will - just reflect back on the simple yet astounding fact that Jesus became one of us so that he might bring salvation for all of us. What a story!  What a Savior!

The Lord Takes Away

We all know that verse in Job.  You know, Chapter 1, verse 21.  Job, who has just lost most of his family, his possessions, and his dignity as well, says (in a spirit of worship, not despair),  
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
   and naked I will depart.
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
   may the name of the LORD be praised.”

Many people have no idea what it means to have something important taken away.   When we were evacuated from Zaire in 1996, we lost almost all of our earthly possessions.  Despite that, I feel very much like the person who has no idea what it really means to lose something, for I left the country with my wife and children, all of us safe and unhurt.  We were grateful, for we knew we could have lost so much more.

Others have had a different experience.  Just last week, close friends of ours lost their 15 year old daughter in a car accident which involved all four of their children.  With their daughter dead and three children in the hospital struggling for life, our friends chose to live by faith, quoting Job 1:21 in a defiant act of worship of our God. Not because they necessarily felt like saying it, but because their faith enabled them to say it.

God gives and he takes away. We have no problem with the giving, but we struggle greatly with the taking.  It is absolutely necessary to allow the Giver of life the right to also take things from his children.  This is where our faith comes in.  This is where we trust.  This is where we allow God to be God, and where we recognize that we are not.  And this is where, above all, we say in worship "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord."