The Message of the Manger

            Perhaps you heard the story of the guy who was traveling during the Christmas holiday?  He was flying home to see his family.  When he arrived at the airport, it was a busy and bustling place.  It was chaotic and the lines to check in were long.  When he finally got to the check-in counter, he put his luggage on the scale to be weighed.  Above the scale, he noticed a piece of mistletoe hanging from the ceiling.  Curious, he asked the airport employee why the mistletoe was there.  The exhausted and stressed-out agent replied, “That’s so you can kiss your luggage goodbye.” There are probably many who have lost luggage around Christmas time.  Perhaps there is something appropriate about that.  You see, we typically associate Christmas with giving, but maybe we should think about giving up.  It is easy to assume that Christmas is about getting.  Most likely it would be good for us to think about letting go instead.

            So, what is Christmas really about?  In order to get a good answer, we need to look to Scripture and, more specifically, to the manger.  The story around the manger encompasses many parts and quite a few people.  One character in the manger story is Joseph.  He is headed to Bethlehem with his very pregnant wife.  She’s carrying a child he did not father.  Needless to say, the events at hand are not how he originally planned things.  Joseph and Mary certainly did not plan a 90-mile trip when she was about to give birth.  Yet, that is what the Roman census required.  Things stay complicated when Joseph and Mary arrive at their required destination.  Not only were Joseph and Mary required to make this trip, but many others were directed to Bethlehem as well.  As a result, Bethlehem was exploding with travelers.  Joseph and Mary could not find any acceptable lodging.  In desperation, they stayed in a barn.  The birth of Jesus was witnessed by an assortment of animals who would have lived in the barn.  Jesus was wrapped in clothes and placed in a manger — a smelly feed trough.  All in all, Joseph had to abandon “Plan A” for many alternate plans.

            The message of the manger is also about Jesus surrendering and giving up.  When Jesus was born of the virgin Mary, God put on human flesh and humanity.  Jesus was the God-Man.  When Jesus came to this earth, He made the decision to empty Himself (see Philippians 2) of all his kingly majesty and power.  Being the incarnate God-Man allowed Jesus to face the same pressures we face.  Jesus was subject to temptation in the same way that we are.  Jesus grew tired and knew physical pain.  This limiting process involved Jesus giving up certain qualities and powers that He knew as God. 

            I share all this in order to speak to the idea that the message of the manger is about giving up and letting go. The message of the manger also involves choices.  We have seen that God made the choice to come and redeem mankind.  God did not have to take this route, but He did.  He was motivated because of His love for mankind.  As we ponder the message of the manger, we also have choices.  Will we give up our sinful ways and follow Jesus?  Will we give up control and surrender the throne of our hearts to God?  Keep looking up!