Take a close look at the manger scene Christians recreate every year at this time. Everything is neat, clean, clothes properly pressed and starched, all in a little shed outside the building. It’s so quiet and peaceful.
But read Luke 1 again. And understand how people lived. The “stable” was the first floor of a multi-story house. It has animals running around. It smells. It’s dirty and dusty. Bethlehem is packed with people in town for the census registration. It’s likely that the house has wall-to-wall people. So, people are going in and out of the first floor constantly.
Mary had just survived a donkey ride from Galilee to Bethlehem. Pregnant. Uncomfortable. She’s now among Joseph’s relatives. You know, second cousins once removed–that sort of thing. Her family and friends are back home in Galilee. The very people who would surround her with love and assistance at the time of a birth are not there. And giving birth is a dangerous occupation.
The baby comes. Who knows how long the labor was! Everyone is exhausted, yet overjoyed that the baby is healthy and the mother survived. Especially since she isn’t even married, yet. And then, the door bursts open and a group of shepherds rush in.
Nobody knew who these guys were. Shepherds are dirty. They smell. They are rough characters who speak roughly. What in the world are they doing there? They say something about seeing a vision from God and wanted to see the new baby who would be the Messiah.
God doesn’t need pristine surroundings, quiet and reverence to enter our lives. He can enter, and usually does, in the midst of busyness, yes, even chaos. He takes us by surprise. What’s this? Oh, it’s God. He showed up. He’s with us.
Tags: advent, Christianity
Faith Venture 
December 21, 2010 at 7:14 am |
It is very interesting to read your post from a faith angle and your devotion is laudable. However, have you also thought about others who also hold Jesus in high esteem, albeit in a way different way than Christians?
In this regard, I’d like to know your thoughts on a very interesting video which you may or may not find controversial? Please have a look at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9Yj8o9NYcQ and given your interest, let me know how you would regard expressions on Jesus such as this particular one?
Best wishes and seasons greetings.
December 24, 2010 at 8:17 am |
Thank you for your comment. I’m traveling and haven’t been able to set aside time to watch the video, yet. Will do next week when things calm a little. But first thought–Jesus is a perplexing figure. I believe misunderstood by many–including many who self-identify as followers. There is a sense that Jesus came in the prophetic tradition of the Jewish people. But then he made other comments that people have developed many interpretations.
My view based on study and experience is that God is a being that humans should have a relationship with–not a theory with a bunch of lists of behaviors to follow. Jesus also talked about relationships. A relationship with Jesus pointed to a relationship with God.
I’ve read the writings of many people who have had spiritual experiences and journeys. I do not deny any of them. However, Jesus was unique. He did not do the usual prophet thing–“God told me to say that if you keep doing this then that will happen to you”–what he did was radically change the point of view away from the head guy telling people what to believe to explaining to people that they should enter into a relationship with God. And Jesus points that way.
I’ll leave theological/philosophical discourse to people who play with ideas. I’m trying to have a relationship with God.
January 9, 2011 at 6:44 pm |
I finally had time to watch the video. I have very little knowledge of the Quran, so it was interesting to hear about the many references of Jesus within it. Mostly the references seem to be accurate within my understanding. I really liked his explanation of Jesus as the son of Mary without a man involved–God said let it be, and it was.
A couple of points about the speaker’s comments. First the Gospel of John refers to Jesus as the Word (Logos in Greek–a philosophic concept). “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God…” Next, for your information, the Bible does not say anything about Jesus as the son of a man, but the Son of Man. That is a title, not a description. The term was of ancient origin, but a group of spiritual ascetics wrote about the coming of the “Son of Man.” Daniel wrote about a “Son of Man.” This could be another title for Messiah (I’m not sure).
Trying to understand Jesus can be very difficult if you are doing it intellectually. I confess–when I sit down to meditate I’m not always sure in my mind the difference among God the Father, God the Son and God the Spirit.
But at the end of his life, Jesus told his followers that he was the Way. I take this to mean that Jesus isn’t an intellectual construction. Jesus asks us to be in a relationship. The end of the Gospel reveals that Jesus still lives. When you read the stories of the first Christians, they had a relationship with a living Jesus. Today, we still can have a relationship with a living Jesus who points us directly to God.
Thanks for the link.