We all love Christmas! (Well, not all, for I do know a handful that don’t.) It is a wonderful story about the barren conceiving, a young couple navigating “dating” to enter into marriage, a birth – Oh, not just any birth! His birth! God born in the flesh! WOW! “Mary, did you know when you kiss your little Baby you kissed the face of God?”* Amazing, Incredible, Unbelievable, Awesome!!!
Back to the wonderful Christmas story aspects – a very special star, angels announcing to men and audibly chanting glories to God, the answered prayers of Simeon and Anna, and strangers at the door with gifts. What a story!
But, too often we oversanitize or romanticize the Christmas story. On the back of our church bulletin 12/09/18 was an edit article about the role and work of John the Baptist as part of the story. He was a flash point – a fire brand – and very much part of the story! We don’t often find room for him in our thinking. Do you ever find him on an advent calendar?
And the donkey (Hector, if you attend GCC). It is noble to think that Joe would provide a donkey for Mary to ride on the 70 mile trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem, but they were poor folk (doves at Jesus’ dedication) so most likely no donkey. And the quiet and cute stable with a manger – just look at the typical crèche scene. I think that picture is really skewed. Quiet? Cute? Even a stable? [It only says a manger – maybe behind someone’s house or maybe in a room attached to a house.]
And how about this part of the story – divorce talk! Yes, Joseph, when learning that Mary was pregnant and not by him, was deeply troubled and about to be done with her via divorce, when God stepped in. [In those days, a betrothal was binding and only broken by death or divorce (Deut. 22), thus Matthew’s exception in Matthew 19:9.]
As a review and as a necessary reminder (silence is not always golden and silence tends to condone), let’s be reminded of what Jesus taught about divorce found in I Corinthians 7:10-11. “Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife.” This is what Jesus taught. It seems quite straightforward, so we have done much to “fix” His teaching. Let’s take His truth to heart and comply.
Part of the Christmas story that attracts us and that we clamor for over the holidays is peace and goodwill in our family. A couple of weeks ago there was an insert in the newspaper titled “Divorce and the Holidays” (“momaha” written by Marjie Ducey). At the top was this note from a child: “Dear Santa, I was very good this year. For Christmas I want for my mommy and daddy to love each other, please.” So sad and so typical!
So, Merry Christmas and let’s be honest about the Christmas story – all its truths – and make personal applications.
*Buddy Greene | Mark Lowry | © 1991, 1993 Rufus Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) | Word Music, LLC (Admin. by WB Music Corp.) | CCLI License # 1651218
a PK Musing 
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