Christmas Trash
I love it when Christmas falls on a Sunday. Going to church first thing in the morning, then coming home to open presents! The front page of the Sunday newspaper was mostly covered with a picture of a live Nativity scene. It was gratifying to see the birth of Christ portrayed in that manner. It was hard to miss- in your face, so to speak, and yet it was reverent and beautiful.
Tucked away in the middle of the newspaper, a very small news article reported a new born baby was found in a trash can in a Wal Mart bathroom. An employee made the startling discovery- I can't imagine what that person must have felt. Panic? Wonder? Anger?
A Baby. Placed lovingly in a manger by his mother.
A baby. Thrown away in a trash can by his mother.
The two stories seemed unrelated to me a first. Disconnected. One was so lovely. The other was so barbaric. One was a celebration. The other was never meant to be discovered. Yet, there is a connection. One so strong and obvious, I was surprised I didn't see it at first.
Of course the obvious connection- both stories were about babies that were at the very least unexpected by their mothers- struck me right away. They were both laid in places of dishonor. Their mothers likely both experienced confusion and fear and, certainly, poverty. But the connection grew deeper as I pondered these two stories.
The Baby in the manger came to die for the mother who threw her baby away. The Baby came to die even for the baby in the trash can. He came for me and for you. He came for anyone who would believe on Him as the Savior. We so often hear in the news reports of horrible people doing horrible things. And we think we are so above it.
But I need a savior as badly as a mom who throws her child in the trash. I need look no further than a mirror to see why the Baby came. That is sobering indeed on this Christmas day. But the thing about Christmas is, while we contemplate the serious side of it, we also celebrate! Later, we will open presents and feast all day in front of a roaring fire. We will enjoy gifts received and given.
May we all solemnly contemplate the Birth and the gift that was given to mankind. May we celebrate the new life the Babe offers us.
Tucked away in the middle of the newspaper, a very small news article reported a new born baby was found in a trash can in a Wal Mart bathroom. An employee made the startling discovery- I can't imagine what that person must have felt. Panic? Wonder? Anger?
A Baby. Placed lovingly in a manger by his mother.
The two stories seemed unrelated to me a first. Disconnected. One was so lovely. The other was so barbaric. One was a celebration. The other was never meant to be discovered. Yet, there is a connection. One so strong and obvious, I was surprised I didn't see it at first.
Of course the obvious connection- both stories were about babies that were at the very least unexpected by their mothers- struck me right away. They were both laid in places of dishonor. Their mothers likely both experienced confusion and fear and, certainly, poverty. But the connection grew deeper as I pondered these two stories.
The Baby in the manger came to die for the mother who threw her baby away. The Baby came to die even for the baby in the trash can. He came for me and for you. He came for anyone who would believe on Him as the Savior. We so often hear in the news reports of horrible people doing horrible things. And we think we are so above it.
But I need a savior as badly as a mom who throws her child in the trash. I need look no further than a mirror to see why the Baby came. That is sobering indeed on this Christmas day. But the thing about Christmas is, while we contemplate the serious side of it, we also celebrate! Later, we will open presents and feast all day in front of a roaring fire. We will enjoy gifts received and given.
May we all solemnly contemplate the Birth and the gift that was given to mankind. May we celebrate the new life the Babe offers us.
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