Every year I seem to identify with different aspects of the Christmas story. Some years I’ve identified with the wise men as I follow the signs, bringing what gifts I have to offer to my Savior. Other years I’ve identified more with Mary, where I am trusting God to equip me for what I feel is an impossible task. Each year brings me new insights and connection points to the story that begins the amazing journey of love Jesus took, to walk among us and save us from our sins by growing in our world to give us a path to His glory. I’m amazed by Mary’s obedience, Joseph’s trust, the wise men’s journey, the angel’s song, and the shepherd’s joy that herald the birth of the greatest gift we could ever be given.
This year, instead of identifying with a different person from the story of Jesus’ birth, I found myself seeing the echoes of the love of this story being lived out around me. I see the love Joseph and Mary had for their son, uprooting their lives from the land they have known and going to Egypt. Joseph and Mary did not take the journey because it was easy, but because it was necessary. Mary and Joseph were ordinary people through whom God showed his extraordinary love for the world. Mary was given the Savior to give to us all, and now it is our job to make sure that everyone knows about the gift that we have received.
I see the love of the wise men, taking a long journey to bring gifts to a child, echoed in the love my coworkers have for our kids as they seek to love them, jumping into messes and walking alongside them as they grow. Like the star in the sky the wise men followed, we seek to point our kids toward the light, showing them the signs and ways to navigate the path so they can make it to their destinations. The night sky can look confusing and random, but if you know how to read it, you can navigate the world. This skill is what I see my team working tirelessly to develop in our kids. The wise men stepped out in faith to celebrate a Savior, and my team steps out in faith, hoping our celebration of our Savior points our kids toward their true healer and guide.
Christmas is full of love as this year comes to a close and a new year is about to begin. May we all remember to take the love of this season as we move forward with the gift we have been given, seeking to ensure that everyone we meet has a chance to encounter Christ.
