I cannot help but think about everyone else who was there for Jesus’ birth. We know there was quite a crowd, after all the inn was packed. I suspect many homes were filled with extended families. The atmosphere was likely not that different from how the holidays are now – a good amount of chaos, stress, joy, and frustration. Granted, we choose our celebrations, they had to be there for the census. Then along came this poor couple, no room at the inn, no family with which to stay.
We know the story, we hear it from Matthew and Luke.
But what of those people who caught moments from windows, doorways, and passed by on the street. Someone had to see the pregnant woman head for the manger. Someone in the inn with a room had to hear Joseph. Someone from the town had to have passed by as they hurried about their work or daily chores. Someone had to have noticed.
What we don’t know, is the story of those who noticed.
I suspect many did notice, but chose not to do something. Why they didn’t, well, I can only speculate. For the vast majority, I suspect they slid right from noticing the pair in need to focusing again on their work, their frustration, their chaos, their chores. Or perhaps there was a pause, a question of wondering if space could be found in their home or if they should give up their room at the inn…and ultimately the moment passed because they were strangers after all and well, it would be quite the bother, and they will be fine, right?
I find myself sitting with all these unknown stories this Christmas. What kept them from acting? What was their thought process?
I ran across an old NPR article that really struck me. The author writes, “In my humdrum life, the daily battle hasn't been good versus evil. It's hardly so epic. Most days, my real battle is doing good versus doing nothing.” She talks of doing the mildly inconvenient thing because it means the world of good to someone else. I think of these normal folks walking the roads of Bethlehem. I have no doubt if they knew it was God Incarnate about to be born, they would have jumped over one another to help. Yet, they couldn’t be inconvenienced.
In the world today, what are not noticing? Who are we missing? And as a culture who thrives on epic stories, are we so fixated on being a great hero we neglect to be a good person?
Today reminds us, of the need to always pay attention to those around us. To truly see the other person who is right in front of us. Jesus’ birth reminds us to always see the person. To keep our gaze from sliding past the other and instead seeing in each person Spirit of God. Today reminds us that we must look for the ways in which we can do good for others, not falling into the temptation to seek greatness, but to rather always do good with great love.
A blessed Christmas to you. May your eyes always be open this year. May you open yourself to do the good and accept the inconveniences. And may you know you are loved unconditionally by God ever more clearly.
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