Bethlehem: thank goodness it's not Hollywood

I was thinking about Christmas the other day, and it occurred to me what a fantastic, beautiful, unique story God created when He was born in a manger. The smell of the manger, the shepherds coming at night, Mary wrapping Jesus in swaddling clothes: all of these elements combine to create a beautiful synthesis of peace, joy, and love. It's a story that almost everyone in the world knows, and for millions of Christians it's a story that inspires us to love God through His Son, Jesus Christ.

However, sometimes familiarity causes us to overlook exactly how extraordinary something can be. As I thought more about Christmas, I realized how extraordinary the story of Bethlehem really is. Quite literally, it is out of the ordinary. The story of Bethlehem, after all, is not simply the story of a little baby boy who would grow up to become a rather famous moral teacher. No, it is the story of the Creator of the universe, the Infinite Being who stands as the source of all creation, coming into that creation so as to banish all darkness and bring about a new creation. Looked at in this light, I don't think any of us, or for that matter any of the highly paid story writers in Hollywood, would have come up with Bethlehem as the setting for God's coming.

It's interesting to think what Hollywood might have done with the story of the Incarnation. Try this mental experiment: picture a group of Hollywood script writers trying to come up with a movie about an infinitely powerful Being coming to our planet so as to conquer His enemies and liberate the people He has loved since the beginning of time. What sort of plots would the writers come up with? How would such an event have occurred if human beings had been in charge of bringing it about? Personally, if Hollywood had been in charge, I think we would have ended up with the Christ riding some sort of fiery asteroid down to earth, wearing brilliantly white enchanted armor, waving a thousand foot sword over his head, and flinging lightning at all who opposed him. Oh, and if Michael Bay were in charge, the angels would have probably been mutating alien robots (see the "Transformers" movies for this reference. On second thought, don't see them.)

Had man been in charge of this whole Christmas phenomenon, it probably would have looked a lot different. The people of Jesus's time surely thought the coming of the Messiah would be something akin to what I described above (though perhaps less dramatic). They were hoping that the Messiah would come as a glorious king who would abolish Roman rule and reinstitute the Jewish state. They hoped for grandiose fireworks of a temporal and political nature. Instead, they got a baby boy born in a manger who lived in Nazareth until He was 30. In response to this plan of God's, many responded "Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary?" Mt 13: 54-55. They held so dearly to their view of the Messiah's temporal glory that  in the end they would cynically mock Him while still looking for miracles: "He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him." Mt 27: 42.

Even today, many Christians hope and look for the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth, even though Christ teaches us His "kingship is not of this world." Indeed, there are many Christians who wish Jesus was a conquering hero smiting his enemies wherever they appear. However, this is not the story that God wrote. Instead of coming as the conquering king, He came as a Babe in Mary's arms. Rather than ascending a throne of glory, He ascended onto the cross. Instead of rising to the apex of political power, He rose from the dead on the Third day.

And this version of the story, God's version, is much more incredible than anything man had, or could have, envisioned. Had He come in splendor and glory He would have taken away man's ability to freely choose Him. After all, who would possibly turn away from a king riding a flaming asteroid, flinging lightning around? All would have been impressed with him and would have submitted to his rule. But He didn't come to submit mankind to Himself; He came "that they may have life, and have it abundantly" Jn 10:10. Rather than making us citizens of a heavenly temporal politic, He wished to make us members of His Body. He came to draw us into a relationship with Himself, and He knew that the best way to do this was to come in humility, teaching us how to empty out ourselves so the He could fill us with love.

The story of Bethlehem was the beginning of God's grandest concerto, and it was certainly an unexpected beginning. It set the tone for the rest of His story, and in turn the stories of every Christian life thereafter. Coming in the quiet of night to a carpenter and his wife, with angels singing "Gloria" to shepherds and not kings, God told man "I have come to love you, not to dominate you. I want to fill you to the brim with my love and bring you close to My Heart. Only thus will you find true happiness." Even though we're familiar with the story of Bethlehem, we should always try to remember why it is such an amazing story. It is the story of a God who loved us, and who knew us better than we knew ourselves. He knew what we needed, and He knew how He had to give it to us. As it turned out, what we needed was different than what we expected. Thankfully, God was creative enough to come up with the story of Bethlehem.

This Christmas, may God come into your heart and the hearts of all men as He came that Bethlehem night: quietly and with great love. May we who seek Him like those mysterious magi not be afraid to look amongst the mangers and poor of this world. From my family to yours, Merry Christmas, and God Bless.