Wednesday, December 23, 2009

That's Not the Way I'd Do It

Many times during the Christmas season, we hear the story of Mary and Joseph, Jesus' birth, angels, shepherds, and wise men, but I wonder if we ever stop to think about how unconventional many of the elements of this story are... especially in our own faith. If I wanted to send the Savior to earth, I'm not so sure I would choose to do it like this.

If an unwed mother showed up in church pregnant and she said God caused her pregnancy, I would personally be skeptical. I would think that she was sleeping with her boyfriend, and they weren't being very careful. The Jews of Mary's day would have thought no different than you and me, but the only difference is today we wouldn't take the adulteress woman out back and stone her to death. Mary's unwed pregnancy would have totally been humiliating to her and her family. Not only that but for all of Jesus' life everyone in Nazareth would have look at him as the bastard child. I am not sure I would have chosen to do it like this.

If a king was born, I am not sure I would invite a bunch of underclass citizens and pagans to come to his birthday party. The angels didn't announce Jesus' birth at Herod's house or any of the Pharisees' homes... there is not one Head of State or religious leader at his birth. Instead God invites a bunch of shepherds, which would be the equivalent of inviting nothing but a bunch of illegal emigrant farmhands today. Then pagans from the cult Zoroastlainism come and worship him. Again, I am not sure I would have chosen to do it like this.

I don't think anyone would have chosen to redeemed the world through a child who came from an unwed humiliate mother, whose most important guest at his birth were shepherds, and who was worshiped by pagans. But only a God who starts humanity's redemption like this finishes the story with a crucified and resurrected Savior who redeems humanity to himself.

What makes Christmas so great is a God who would sacrifice his own son to bring a fallen humanity back into relationship with himself... how amazing because I wouldn't have chosen to do it like this but I am certainly glad he did.


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