Across the world the Nativity scene will be on display for at least the next week. The depiction of the birth scene (aided by artistic influence) which captures that monumental moment of history with the most humble of cast. Some places will have them displayed with wooden carvings, hand crafted pottery, painted canvas, or even live members. Wherever you are in your walk with God, you know each facet of the scene; the proud, yet simple parents Mary & Joseph, the lowly shepherds crowding in, the wise men coming to worship.
This past Sunday I was privileged to be a part of the children's service at church. On saturday all those involved came together for rehearsal. It was chaotic, yet completely awesome. Children were bouncing around with excitement, adults trying to corral them and get staging just right, the praise team and youth choir attempting to run through their songs, the sound people pulling their hair out! I sat down on a chair watching all this take place and running through my role in my mind. At one point I looked up and saw the adults showing the little actors where they were to stand for their part in depicting the Nativity scene. I heard someone say, "Now, you are a shepherd and you can't just pick up the gold." (indicating that this prop was for the wise men to carry in) It was humorous, but it got me thinking. In fact, I thought about this question for the next several days. And it is the question I want to ask each of you:
Who are you in the Nativity scene?
Let me ask this through the lens of the various people who were present. Then you think about where you might be standing. What you might be doing. What God may want of you!
Mary & Joseph
The two closest to Jesus. I have never seen a Nativity displayed where Mary or Joseph are greeting the other visitors. Joseph does not ever have his back turned to Christ while shaking hands, like a proud father often might, with the shepherds. He isn't laughing and patting them on the back. Mary isn't off to one side talking with her friends or looking at anything other than the evidence of Gabriel's promise. Jesus is all they see.
Is He all you are looking at this year? Or does He receive intermittent attention? Are you justifying your broken focus by stating, "Well, I'm serving others...." What did Jesus tell Martha:
Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord's feet, listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me." But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her."
Nothing else is more important than Jesus. Yes, serving is important, but even in serving we can get caught up in it to the point that we forget that Christ should still be our focus. Mary and Joseph are modeling this for us so clearly here.
And their obedience? No one had a more challenging task before them than these two. They weren't married when she became pregnant. What would the community say? This could ruin Joseph's reputation! Yet they BOTH remained committed to offering the one thing they brought before Christ in this scene: their obedience. Despite the crowds whispers, even church-goers, will you give Him your obedience? It's all He's ultimately asking for from you.
The Shepherds
Think of the most undesirable job in your town. Think about the image those who work in that profession garner. Think about how you yourselves view them! Then you start to get a picture of who the shepherds are. They aren't educated. They aren't popular. They aren't influential, theologically trained, or wealthy.
Why shepherds though? Why not the Inn keeper who allowed Mary & Joseph in? Why not other religious people in the area of Bethlehem? The Angel of the Lord had to pass over others during his trip to them. They weren't within the town area because we know the scriptures says, "In the same region their were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night." (Luke 2:8)
Perhaps God saw the interesting irony of shepherds mimicking what His Son would be doing. Shepherding.
They came and brought their awe! Then they went out to tell others. Our worship of Jesus should fill us with such awe that we cannot stay put. One great test of how He impacts us should be, "what does His love compel you to do?" Does standing before the Promise light some fire inside you that you just HAVE to go out and tell someone? It did for them. And so it should for us.
The Wise Men
Yes, I know that we put them with a traditional Nativity, but it's widely believed that the wise men from the East came to Mary and Joseph later. However, I have no problems with them being placed with our little vignette because I have no doubt that they were starting their journey about the time. How do I know this? Because it says in Matthew 2:2 that they "saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him."
They brought gifts. Gold, Incense, Myrrh. Three symbolic and prophesied gifts for the Messiah. Are you willing to offer Jesus something more this year? I'm not talking about your tithe. Your 10% is NOT your offering. A tithe is an understood component of your commitment to Christ and His Body; the Church. You do that just in the same way that you lock the door to your house, take the garbage out, help put things away inside. Those things are done because you know it's YOUR house too, therefore you should serve the household.
No, an offering is what you give above the norm. You may be expected to take the garbage out, but when you carry your neighbors out, then you've done something more. When we give unto Christ our gift with an attitude of worship, we show Him that we are indeed more concerned with Him than His blessings.
Are you? Am I? Do I want Jesus or just the stuff Jesus gives me? If He stopped blessing me, would I stop worshipping Him? Or like the wise men, would I be willing to travel such a great distance in order to say, "the greatest treasures in our world are nothing compared to the value that you have just brought unto our world."
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So... where are you in the Nativity scene this year? Maybe you find yourself like Mary & Joseph - obedient; captivated by the Savior that nothing else matters. Maybe it's the lowly shepherds - filled with awe and wonder while wondering 'why me'; compelled to tell others. Or perhaps you are like the wise men - ready to give your best; ready to lay it all down before the King in exchange for a value beyond anything held in hands.
Who are you in the Nativity scene? Tell me...
