The Character who did not land a part in the Christmas Story

Someone once said that society’s barrier to spirituality, and in this story’s case, Christ in particular, is its unfamiliarity with the supernatural.  Postmodernism, with all of its advancements and evolutions brings with it good things, but a steadfast reliance on left brain thinking, i.e. logic and scientific means, leaves out a whole chasm of our creation, including an entire hemisphere of our brain-one that brings beauty and art and music and romantic love.  And I don’t know about you, but a world without the latter feels colorless and a whole lot Brave New World’ish. 

Don’t get me wrong, logic and rationality are essential.  And, I would argue, essential in faith as well.  But, to throw something out there, when it comes to faith, and well, matters of the heart, like falling in love, there comes a point where left brain thinking is maxed out, and without the integration of our more “feeling” side we are never able to fully experience the fruit and joy of the mystery of falling in love.  Be it with Mr. X, Buddha, or Jesus.

I hope you’re still with me.

But for a minute I want you to imagine the Christmas story from both your “logic” and your “feeling” side. I’m not asking you to buy it, but I am asking you to for a moment, enter into the Story.

I don’t know where you are at in your life. I don’t know the heart dreams you hold near and dear, the battles you’ve fought and lost. The battles you’ve won. The ones you may be in right now.  I do know we all have them and we either have them tucked away in some far corner of a dusty old drawer, or we are wearing them tattooed on our sleeve.  Some of us have them like a marquee flashing over our shadows.

But imagine. For a moment.  In 2011. That someone comes to tell you, in your house, in your apartment that a baby has been born.  A very important one.  A special one.  One that has been talked about for hundreds, for thousands, of years.  One who has come to bring back the world.  To love on the world. To love on you and your marquee flashing existence.  No self help book needed, no medical specialist, no debt consolidator, no divorce lawyer, no academic degree required.  Just a baby. 

I suspect most of us would shut the door on the crazy invitation.  The invitation to meet the baby.  To bring him gifts.  To hold his soft skin and kiss his warm cheek.  To rock him.  To love on him.  His birth announcement would read, “Savior of the World”.  Would we post this on our refrigerator? 

Some days I’m the girl that would travel great distances to visit and meet the baby.  This baby.  Other days I’m the girl that would close the door on the messenger. Some seasons, I keep it closed for a long time.  But, inevitably, in the end, I always. Always. Come back to the mystery of the baby.  For the journey to him, has proved wondrous, challenging, real, logical, and supernatural. Some days, I am not the person who landed a part in the Christmas story. But I think he came especially for characters like you and me.  ~Christy