From the
Mouths of Babes…
The Children Can Teach Us About Christmas and Its True Meaning!
I saw Jerry Meers working at the Optimist Tree Lot on Wednesday. He was wearing a wooly hat with the biggest, brightest, reddest “Merry Christmas” written across the front that I’ve seen all year. “I sell Christmas trees and I wish everyone ‘Merry Christmas’!” Good for you, Jerry!
I can hardly believe the fuss over wishing a Merry Christmas. Sometimes it seems like Charlie Brown is the only one who remembers the reason for the season. And Jerry. And you! Thanks for your continuing witness. Our remembrance of Jesus’ birth is more than a “holiday season.” It’s the glorious rending of heaven’s door that our salvation might come near.
The current cultural climate makes it ever more imperative that we teach our children the truth about Christmas, and that we teach every child that we can to know why we celebrate. Just a few moments before I saw Jerry, I read our pre-school childrens’ comments about a picture they had made: Mary and Joseph and Jesus in the manger. I’m so proud of parents and teachers who are teaching these things to little ones. Jerry, you will be pleased at what they said.
Here’s their comments, and some of my interpretation about why what they said is so important:
Mary, Joseph and Jesus were in the stable. Jesus was born on Christmas! Joshua.
That’s exactly right, Joshua. Jesus was born on Christmas. That’s the reason for the season. We certainly respect the different traditions of people of other faiths. Lovingly, prayerfully, and with as much wisdom and persuasion as possible, we disagree, and seek every way possible to share the truth. And above all, we never compromise our belief, expressed in our customs and our worship, that on that night, long ago in Bethlehem, the eternal Son of God became the Son of Mary and was born. We celebrate Christmas, the birth of Jesus the Christ!
Mary and Joseph had a new baby.
He was in Mary’s tummy. Baby
Jesus was his name. Peter.
Peter will eventually get the geographic configuration of Mary’s anatomy figured out, but he has the key factor down pat. The Holy Spirit worked the wonder of the conception of Christ in the Virgin’s tummy, er, womb, and God became flesh. As Paul would write, “born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law” (Galatians 4:4). He was human in every way, except without sin, so that he could do what the rest of us flesh and blood humans couldn’t, obey the law. This obedience made him our Savior.
Here is the stable with Mary, Joseph and the baby boy, Jesus. He lays in hay. Kenzie.
In hay. That’s no place for a King, especially the King of the universe, the Creator of silk and goose down and cotton. He deserves better, but gladly chose to come humbly into our world, with no special privileges. A small town, a little family, a quiet place to lay, that’s all he asked. His purpose was not to be honored, but to save, and he was willing to suffer any cost.
Mary, Joseph, and the new baby boy lived in the stable. The baby was named Jesus. Frances.
The best we know, Joseph and Mary lived a pretty typical existence for the people of Israel at their time. They certainly didn’t live in a stable, at least for very long. Some scholars believe that they may have shared quarters with family in Bethlehem, and crowded space forced them to lay Jesus in the part of the dwelling where the animals came in from the weather.
But there is no doubt that after hearing from the angel, Mary and Joseph immediately embarked on a journey of sacrifice for the sake of their calling as the family of the baby Jesus. As Frances grows in her years as a disciple of Christ, she will learn, as Mary and Joseph did, what a privilege it is to sacrifice for others because of their calling to be followers of Jesus.
God is always at work and he chooses to work through his extraordinary servants. And while no one will ever share the blessed task that Mary was given, we all have a calling. And everyone’s calling means sacrifice in some measure, maybe even sacrificing the comforts of home and shelter so we might serve others in need. The holy family set a wonderful precedent and example.
“Savior”
Mary and Joseph got there.
Animals were there. And then came
the baby. His name was Jesus. Lucas.
Yes, Lucas, his name was Jesus. At the angels command, and in fulfillment of the prophecies of the ages, his parents named him “Jesus,” meaning, “The Lord saves.” This Christmas season is about a Savior who came to rescue us from sin and death and the devil. No one else could save us. And now his name is the most highly exalted that the world will ever hear. He is Jesus. And one day soon, every knee will bow at the sound of his name!
“Joy”
The angels sang. The baby was
born. It was baby Jesus! Cora.
Of course they sang. They couldn’t help it. For centuries they waited, and finally the day came, and it was a day of rejoicing and celebration in heaven. I’m glad Cora and her friends are learning to sing with the angels, glad tidings of great joy.
On Christmas, the Wise Men came to see Mary, Joseph and the baby. The baby was Jesus. Molly.
And wise they were, too. Whatever answers they sought, they found in Jesus. The world is still looking and searching. Gold isn’t the answer. It’s merely a fitting tribute to the One who is the answer. I pray that Molly will continue to tell the story like she did in her class, telling everyone who will listen that when they are looking for answers to life’s most important questions, they should follow the star that points the way to Jesus, just like those Wise Men.
Baby Jesus came in a stable. He died on the cross and came to life on Easter. Marissa.
The life was the light of the world, who came that we might have life. Life without God is short and empty. Life with the Savior, Jesus, is full and rich and full of peace and hope and joy, and it lasts forever. Very good, Marissa. The wood of the manger and the wood of the cross are so closely linked. He came to die, and to rise to life, that those who die in faith in him would live forever.
Mary, Joseph, and the little baby boy and all the animals were in the stable. And there were palm trees, sheep and angels were singing their song. Frances.
I like the picture: palm trees and angels singing. No matter how cold and hard and bitter your winter may be, Jesus is coming back again soon. Eternal spring break is coming. It won’t be long, Frances, and we’ll be in the land where palm trees sway and angels sing!
Because once, long ago, there was a Christmas.