For some reason, the entire month of December always seems to be the busiest and most stressful time of the year. It is supposed to be a season filled with joy and the laughter of children, but somehow we always manage to get wrapped up in the craziness. With all of the traveling, family get-togethers, holiday parties, church plays and cantatas, and last-minute mall runs, it’s no wonder that we end up stressed out and counting down the days until December 26^th. It’s hard to imagine how radically different Christmas is today with all of the stress and commercialism compared to how God intended the celebration of His Son’s birth to be. However, when you think about it, the first Christmas was not all that different.

A teenage girl in Nazareth was engaged to be married to a successful carpenter, and life was looking pretty good until she was visited by an angel who told her that she would give birth to the Messiah. She suddenly found herself an unwed expectant mother, and Joseph rightfully got cold feet and planned to dismiss her quietly until he, too, was visited by an angel. They believed the promise and trusted God, but imagine dealing with the rumors and public opinion. If that wasn’t enough pressure, they then had to travel to Bethlehem for a census. It was a long journey, and I’m sure it was a long, uncomfortable donkey ride for a very pregnant Mary. When they arrived, Bethlehem was a busy place with bad tempers and no vacancies. They went from one inn to the next with no luck, and then with the worst timing possible, Mary went into labor. Finally, someone had a little mercy and allowed them to use their stable. The birth of the Son of God took place in an unsanitary barn with no nurses or family present. Straw wasn’t exactly the padding of choice, and the place was already crowded with smelly animals. The stress didn’t end there, as Joseph was later forced to take his family to Egypt to escape the wrath of a jealous king.

We all know how the story ends. The family eventually made it back to Nazareth and Jesus grew up to complete His earthly mission. However, there are two principles inherent in this Christmas story. The first is that they always put God first. In the midst of this holiday season plagued with stress and commercialism, it’s easy to forget what we’re really celebrating.  Second, we need to be willing to be inconvenienced, not only for each other, but also for the overarching call God has placed on each of our lives.

You’ve probably been reminded before, but we hope that as we draw closer to December 25^th, you will be able to put some of the stress aside and enjoy the stillness of the season. But most importantly, remember to put Christ first and allow yourself to be inconvenienced for a little while. This Christmas, let us be reminded of the true wealth we find in Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:33: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you” (KJV).