For as long as I can remember this little nativity set has been in my life. My newlywed Mama bought it at Perry Brothers for 4.99. She passed it on to me as a newlywed and my girls grew up with it. For as long as I can remember, there have only been two wise men in the set. Those two wise men and the shepherds have always been turned so I can see their faces, away from the Infant Savior asleep in the hay, mostly posing for admirers.
Through the years, I have added to my collection of Nativity Scenes. They come from Department Stores, Thrift Stores, Garage Sales, and even Italy, so the tag says. They are all posed beautifully for the photographs and the memories.
Once in a lifetime someone comes along and turns you world upside down and your thinking right side up - like Jesus - or a granddaughter.
This year, Amazing Granddaughter helped unpack and set up all but the oldest, because that old story was packed away somewhere else.
She turned the shepherds and the sheep and the magi and the little drummer boy toward the Creator of the Universe, who left the comforts of heaven to become one of us. She has done it this way since her little fingers could hold baby Jesus.
Not everybody recognized Him then. But the wise men and the shepherds on the hill saw the truth. Not everybody recognizes Him now. But this almost twelve year old still sees Him as we all should.
God made flesh.
The Way, the Truth, the Life.
The great I AM.
The Bread of Life.
The Light of the World.
He was born at a great cost of suffering and died a brutal death, but he brought with Him peace to willing hearts. He brought peace on earth. He is our peace while we are on this crazy earth.
The grace and love and forgiveness and peace He brought to this anything but peace while on earth was not cheap. It wasn't a dime store or garage sale variety of peace. It was costly.
This Christmas season, let's rearrange our thinking. Let's turn it all around and upside down and backwards and right side up. Let's worship HIM.
"And suddenly there was with the angel,
a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace,
good will toward men."
(Luke 2:13-14)
Click here to read an old Christmas post featuring granddaughter and Baby Jesus.
Merry Christmas Friends.
