"and she (Mary) gave birth to her firstborn, a son (Jesus). She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger because there was no room in the inn."
Luke 2:7
Sometimes I struggle to envision the story of Jesus' birth as it really was. I, like so many, revert to images that are often portrayed in church musicals or religious presentations. Many of you can relate to the traditional Christmas productions. Jesus, an adorable baby, is neatly wrapped in linen cloth, and sweetly held in Mary's tender grasp. Joseph happily, and silently, looks on, trying to take the whole scene in. Then there is a little bit of hay spread out on the ground. Perhaps a few shepherds and some wise men enter the scene to look upon the Messiah. But that is about the extent of it. So often such church Christmas productions are offered from the comfort of a plush, carpeted stage, making it difficult to grasp the type of grimy, dirty surroundings that Jesus really encountered when He entered this world in the form of a tender child. In other words, it is hard to contemplate, or acknowledge, some of the undesirable aspects that Mary and Joseph endured in welcoming Jesus here on earth, specifically the setting, surroundings, and sacrifice.
What was the setting? Bethlehem, home of David. There was nothing wrong with Bethlehem in and of itself. But Joseph and Mary were from Nazareth in Galilee (Luke 1:26-27). This meant that Mary gave birth to Jesus some eighty miles from home, equivalent to a four day journey in the ancient world. Joseph and Mary were in Bethlehem because a census was issued by Caesar Augustus (Luke 2:1), requiring everyone to return to the traditionally-held epicenter of their lineage. But to go into labor in a place so far from where one currently resides is a major burden and strain for anyone, let alone someone so young as Mary probably was. Apparently Joseph and Mary had no close relatives in Bethlehem, which only added to the state of hardship, because the couple did not secure lodging in another's home. Even when they tried to stay at local inns they were turned away. The setting for Joseph and Mary was a foreign one, and yet this was the location God ordained for Jesus to be born, as prophesied in Micah 5:2.
What were the surroundings? Scripture does not provide us much in the way of details. Maybe it was a cave. Perhaps it was an animal pen of some sort. But whatever it was it was probably not the ideal setting to deliver a baby. The ground was likely rough. The supplies were certainly limited. After all, Joseph and Mary were on the outskirts of Bethlehem. Why do I say this? Because angels appeared to shepherds in fields nearby, indicating Joseph and Mary had some separation from the immediate Bethlehem residential area. I wonder what it would be like to care for a baby when the air is thick with the stench of livestock. Of what it would be like to cradle a child when the environment requires crude candle light just to see a few feet in front of you. But this was presumably the surrounding that Joseph and Mary were forced to accept.
What was the sacrifice? Joseph and Mary's lives would never be the same. Why? Because they had the Savior of the world in their care, and this entailed great responsibility, as well as great risk. We see this reality manifested quickly after Jesus' birth for Joseph was warned in a dream to flee to Egypt to avoid Herod's wrath (Matthew 2:13). Yet again, Joseph and Mary were relegated to packing up their meager belongings and journeying to a place that was not home, but would have to become home for a time. All the angelic visits and all the supernatural dreams that Joseph and Mary experienced confirmed that Jesus would be no ordinary child, but this also meant that Joseph and Mary were charged with an obligation to rightly care for the promised One, the Redeemer of the world.
When I review the setting, surroundings, and sacrifice of Jesus' birth in this light I find a wholly different perspective on the Christmas story. I see beauty, but not the worldly definition of beauty, which is marked by superficial, external markers. I see wonder, but not the worldly definition of wonder, which is characterized by feats of strength and success. I see grandeur, but not the worldly definition of grandeur, which is referenced with majestic landscapes or artistic contributions. I see a God Who chose to bless Joseph and Mary with the honor of raising Jesus because they had refinable, humble hearts. They were willing to accept the harsh setting. The arduous surroundings. The immense sacrifice. In short, Joseph and Mary revered God, so-much-so that they were willing to forego the comfort and pre-conceived direction of their lives for the sake of being vessels for God's glory. What an amazing Christmas story.
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