The beauty of Christmas is that Christ did come down from heaven to our world to share in our joys and pain, but I wonder if we have "commercialized" His birth. Let me explain:
Most commercials we see on tv involve people with 2% body fat, no blemishes, have the latest styles on, and are constantly smiling as they do the ordinary things of life including shaving, buying food, and eating. In short, the commercials cut out the reality.
Similarly the Nativity scenes we see all around us look so clean and lets not forget the songs we sing as the favorite hymn Silent Night includes the line: "but little Lord Jesus no crying He makes."
Really? Why wouldn't Jesus cry when He was born in a stable? Further I doubt that Mary would look so great after delivering a baby after her long trip on a donkey. And lets not forget Joseph who walked the whole way and probably still was confused about Mary's pregnancy.
By no means am I trying to be sarcastic or irrevrant, rather I urge myself and others to really take a step back from those beloved versus in Luke 2 and realize the reality of the situation that Jesus really did enter this world in...one with dirty animals, dirty hay, exhausted parents, confused poor shepherds, and you and I.
28 Christmases later I still love the Christmas story.
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