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Why Christmas?

At school, my students researched Christmas traditions and beliefs in other cultures. In Switzerland, they have a parade to chase Santa to the Rhine and the children believe Baby Jesus brings their gifts. In Italy, they leave their shoes under the tree to be filled with treats. Learning about these customs makes me think about my own. What’s with putting a tree in the house? Why Santa? Why is Christmas such a big deal any way? It’s making me even think about my beliefs around the holiday all together.  I’ve been in church since my own December birth, so that makes 28 times I’ve heard the story, been to the service, seen (or been in) the programs, etc. But this year, I’m seeing it differently.

In my Bible, the first chapter of John starts with bold lettering “God becomes human”.  Why a baby though? Couldn’t he have just shown up as a miracle working man? He may have actually gotten more appreciation that way. He wouldn’t have been seen as that poor kid from Nazareth trying to act all holy. Why a baby? There is nothing more vulnerable than a human baby. There are wild animal babies that can survive on their own pretty quickly, but a human baby… it’s like 18 years before they are self-sufficient. He is GOD. He could have skipped all that.

I always knew that God became a man baby, but for some reason I’m having a revelation this year. Maybe it’s all the crying, countless diapers, food all over the walls, and the combination of snot and drool covering my dress clothes, but I’m thinking of this amazing, almost magical sounding true story of Christ’s birth and I’m in awe. 

He came as a baby. A vulnerable helpless newborn. He was born in a cold smelly barn. He had a teen mom with nothing to even wrap him in. He went from being THE WORD to a drooling, crying, maybe even colicky infant. He couldn’t tell anyone who he was. He didn’t perform any miracles (yet).

He could have come as a grown man and spent a few years ministering and performing miracles but he spent a life here, a life that had some really sucky parts. He gave up his heavenly throne to come to rescue the people that he loved, knowing that after he spent 33 years growing up in their world, they would still reject him and slander him and kill him.

I think Christmas is so special because it marks the date that our God came to live among us. He was born in a difficult birth, he lived a hard life among doubters, and he died a tragic death… but of course that was only the beginning.

It's so special because it means I don’t have to pray to a God who just watches my problems and listens to my pleas for help. I pray to a God who walked this earth and felt my pain and bore my sins and died my death. As helpless and vulnerable as I feel sometimes in the midst of my hardships and confusion, I know my almighty powerful God understands! He started his human life as a poor little barn baby. That is just amazing.

Merry Christmas from Georgia and Olive, who love "BeeBee Jebus".

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