Living Nativity December 16, 2008

When I was a kid, we took a trip once through a living nativity a few doors down from where I lived. I have to admit, my brother and I were pretty immature about it. We giggled in the backseat as my dad drove the car through their gravel lot at 5 mph and the characters rigidly repeated each scene. Blue jeans and long johns peeked out from under the angel and shepherd outfits, and baby Jesus was…well…less than life-like. (Could have been because of the sub-zero temperature. Who wants a newborn in that?) Looking back, we were way too critical.

But here’s the thing. I’ve realized this week that most of us totally idealize the nativity characters when, infact, they were just people like you and me. The only perfect nativity character was Jesus. The rest of those guys brought real life drama to the set.

Call it post-partum bliss, but I’ve been thinking mostly about Mary. As I swaddle my own little guy, I notice the tension in my voice and the heightened emotion that I’m feeling. Granted, I had him less than 2 weeks ago. But, Mary was real just like me. If you think of her as perfect, you miss part of the story.

Tonite I read a story to my kids about Mary and Joseph from the view of the donkey who carried them, called Clopper. It’s a good read, but Clopper idealizes the whole thing a bit, too. Mary and Joseph handle the “no room in the inn” scenario beautifully. So, I have to ask, do you really think that a woman who was nine months pregnant was graceful about sleeping in a barn on some hay? I don’t care if she was carrying Jesus in her womb…she’s still pregnant, right? I mean, come on, people…Mary had to be a little out of sorts.

Imagine the shepherds. We see them arriving so peacefully to worship Jesus. Infact, don’t you think they were a little wigged out by the whole scene? Angels burst into the sky and start singing. These are real men, tending real sheep. One version of the Bible says they were “sorely afraid.” But we tend to forget that part, and think of them as “perfect” shepherds, if there is such a thing.

As I see it, there are two reasons to put the nativity characters up on a pedastal. 1.) They had great faith. 2.) They showed complete obedience. Really, it’s the combination of faith and obedience that makes them praiseworthy. One without the other would come up empty. But the combination – now that is admirable. That is what I want people to see in my life.

Let’s make no mistake about it, though. Each of these characters was, infact, a character in their own right – with their own story, idiosyncracies, and imperfections. When you read the Christmas story through this lens, I hope you see yourself all over it. 

• May you embrace a young woman who hears that she is pregnant and really breathes it in - enough to breathe out a gutsy Magnificat. 
• May you identify with shepherds who are stunned by a heavenly host and follow their hearts to a manger to worship.
• May you feel the wonder of a group of Magi who set aside their own pride to worship a King far greater.
• May you understand the unswerving love of a fiance who risks his reputation to be part of a bigger plan.
• And may you rejoice with the angels at the perfection of this Christchild, whose light and love we still can know today.

The little church whose parking lot we visited so many years ago wasn’t far off. Their portrayal may have been lacking a bit, but the first nativity really was a living nativity. Let’s not forget it this season.