As Christmas draws near I am trying to keep myself focused on Jesus, his birth, why he came, and what he accomplished. I am trying to keep focused on that instead of my "to do" list to get ready for all the festivities which really are secondary compared to Him.
I just finished teaching an adult Sunday school class at church that compared and contrasted the two nativity stories in the gospels and we just wrapped up that with watching The Nativity Story movie, which if you haven't seen it-- please do. It is so good. While watching it last night I am always moved how the movie portrays Joseph as such a generous, wonderful, and righteous man. In pageants and this season, sometimes Joseph gets overlooked. But God chose him too, to be Jesus' earthly father. Anyways . . .
The kids are in a pageant on Sunday at church. When I told the kids about it Patrick kept insisting that he was going to be Jesus-- wrong! Originally Alyssa requested a speaking role, which meant she was to be one of the Magi, I thought that was pretty cool. However, as soon as I told her assignment she burst into tears because she only wants to be an angel. So, after convincing the pastor to rearrange things, that left Patrick with the Magi role, which he is more than excited to do! However, then he got upset because at preschool they also did a pageant in which he was a cow, and he kept saying, "No! I am supposed to be a KING!" Luckily, he was an enthusiastic cow, full of mooing.
And now Alyssa thinks her angel role is a speaking one and she keeps telling me her lines, "Be not afraid, you are going to have a baby and you will name him Jesus." While I am thrilled she knows the story, in reality, she has no lines, she is part of the angel chorus!
So-- I am left trying to humble these children. I am trying to impress that each role is amazing and special because each role is a witness to Jesus' birth, he is the real star of the show (which obviously Patrick gets, since he wants that role!) Jesus came down to earth, and he came all the way down, to be born in a stable and be vulnerable to many dangers. God in flesh.
I am praying my kids will get that it is not about the part they play and how "prestigious" it is, but that the real honor is always knowing and seeking Jesus and giving Him what we've got, even if it's just a really enthusiastic "moo".
"For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." Matthew 23:12
