The Christmas Story

I love the Christmas story...the REAL Christmas story, that is (although the movie isn't bad either!)
The story of Christ's birth never gets old. I don't know what it is. Maybe it's the birth of a new baby, and how beautiful they are. Maybe it's the drama of Mary and Joseph's struggle.
"No!" you say, "it's about the birth of the Savior of the world!"
And you would be right.
But that's part of what blows my mind about this story.
It takes a LOT of humility to worship a BABY as your new king...especially when the baby's father has NO appearance of kingship! And yet, three wise men, some shepherds, and a couple of old people at the temple recognized this little child as King. The story of the Magi fascinates me. These were men of a whole other religion! And yet, they knew the prophecies, recognized the star, and trekked many miles to visit Christ at His birthplace.
The other thing that's really interesting is what happened to the wise men. After they visited Jesus and his parents, they went another direction to get home. They had just had a nice visit with King Herod, and could have helped him "find the child to worship him." What made them listen to this dream where they were warned to avoid him?
After we have met Jesus, our lives should go in a different direction. We are not the same, and cannot go back to the same life we had before. The birth of Jesus brings us hope for a new life, much like a baby starts off with a clean slate. It gives us hope to have innocence again...to see life through the eyes of a child. It brings wonder.
May you see the world with the wonder of a child this Christmas. And may you never be the same.