| The Stranger In A Manger |
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2:12 And this `is' the sign unto you: Ye shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger.
Who is the stranger in a manger? And what about that crowd hanging around Him? Lowly shepherds? Farm animals? Angels? And even wise guys from the East? No wonder He has been banned from government buildings and public parks. Those places deserve a more sophisticated display.
And why all the focus on a babe? Surely this babe grew into somebody (like all babes do if their mother chooses life and allows them to live). His mother said: “Be it done unto me according to your word,” and she freely accepted the humiliating circumstances of her pregnancy so that she could give life to her baby boy.
Even though we remember the birth of this babe, perhaps we forget who He is. He is no longer a stranger in a manger. He grew up and did some pretty amazing things and taught some astonishing ideas. His teachings and behaviors were seen as a threat to many people, so they did the trendy thing and had Him killed. But even that couldn’t abort His mission!
The stranger in a manger became a life rearranger – a Friend, a Comforter, an Invisible Guide to millions of human beings across the past 2,000 years of history.
Babes can’t speak, they can’t challenge anyone. But the grown Son of Man challenges me daily to be a better man.
On Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, we remember his life and his accomplishments. Can you imagine someone putting a doll in their front yard on Lincoln’s birthday and calling it “Baby Abe”? Naw!
So shouldn’t we think beyond the babe, beyond passive, weak religion? Shouldn’t we think about Jesus' accomplishments and teachings? And shouldn’t we investigate the claims that He and others made about Himself?
His story is told in the New Testament and it is some amazing story! I often wonder who could have invented such a tale. Seems too incredible to be man-made to me.
Through the pages of that Book and through the passion of a few of His followers, that Stranger reached out and introduced Himself to me 37 years ago. He possessed my heart and my life and hasn’t let go. I still hunger daily to know Him more and to obey Him better.
So what’s all the fuss about the stranger in a manger? For many, it is tradition, religion, family gatherings, good feelings or holiday spirit. But for me, it is an overwhelming love for Emmanuel, God with us. |
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