Why I celebrate Christmas

This morning I was contemplating God’s choice to send Jesus as a baby who grew up to be a man – always God incarnate, destined to die and become the Savior for mankind. 

As babies we are utterly dependent on someone care… Jesus was too.  

 Let that sink in for just a moment – 

God became entirely dependent on human care.

 

Have you fallen and skinned your knee? …. Jesus has too

Have you shed a tear, or two, or lots? … Jesus has too

Did you ever have to obey your parents even though you knew it wasn’t the best decision? … Jesus did too

Have you lost a parent or someone close? … so has Jesus

Have you ever felt misunderstood or that no one really knew you? … He did

Were you ever hurt? … He was more than we will ever understand

Do you need to forgive? … He does

Christmas is a joyous time; a time of gratitude. Behold unto you this day a Savior is born! He shall be called Emmanuel, God With Us. 

Oversees somewhere in a red-light district brothel is a young woman who’s been used and abused too many times to count, not that she’d want to remember any of them. Her daughter is still miraculously with her. 

Young enough to be spared the greater evils, but not for much longer. The brothel owner knows she’ll bring a pretty penny. This woman wants something better for her daughter and yesterday someone offered hope of a better future for her and her daughter. She doesn’t think there is any hope for her, but she’d do anything for her daughter…

A few nights later the child arrives at the address on the business card, alone. She is crying, begging for someone to go and save her mom.  As they approach the brothel owner and ask to speak to the woman, they are told she is busy but the woman appears behind the doorway. Beaten. Bruised. Bloody. Barely able to stand. Their hearts break. Somehow she manages to slip a small piece of paper to one of them. 

The brothel owner is furious that the child is gone. But she’s smart enough to let one child go at the risk of being discovered by the authorities and losing everything. The one who holds the slip of paper heads home. Opening the paper scrap she reads the quickly scribbled letters.

For my daughter’s freedom it was worth it.

The one holding the gift of sacrifice weeps. For the woman… for the child… for herself… for all humankind. Love is the greatest gift of all, and Love paid the price. 

For her. 

For me. 

For you.

It wasn’t just a piece of human experience the Son of God shared with us. He chose to experience it all, from being knit together in Mary’s womb to being tortured and hung on a cross.  He knows us and He cares. He rejoices and grieves right alongside of us. 

He reminds me. 

For your freedom, it was worth it all.

That’s why I celebrate Christmas.  

 Merry Christmas!