And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. (Luke 2:6-7 ESV).
We can hardly go through a Christmas season without a reminder that Jesus was born in less than ideal circumstances. Christmas cards often have scenes of a stable filled with animals, while Mary and Joseph look lovingly into a manger, where the baby Jesus is lying. While many portrayals of this scene aim for a warm, sweet, nostalgic approach, the birth of Jesus was far from a pleasant experience. Forced to travel to Bethlehem for a Roman census, Mary and Joseph found no comfortable place to stay. So Mary gave birth in a cold, dirty stable and used the animals’ feedbox for Jesus’ crib.
What irony! No room was available here for the Savior who came to prepare a place for us in heaven (cf. John 14:2-3). Everyday life has its ironies too. For example, people were created to live in community and enjoy each other’s friendship. The havoc that sin has wreaked in this world often breaks down that sense of community and friendship, leaving us feeling like there is no place where we can feel at home.
We need to be reminded that it is altogether too easy to turn on the “no vacancy” sign in our churches. As our culture continues to change much faster than most of us are capable of dealing with effectively, we must remember that hospitality and ministry to all people is our calling. Some may not look like we look, dress like we dress, like the music we like, or follow the same political direction we follow; however, we can never fail to minister to their need of the same grace and mercy as we have already received.
Jesus came to a place that was hostile to the presence of God. But, thankfully, he never failed to minister the grace of redemption and love to all people. This is how he shows us to change the world. Throughout his entire ministry here, Jesus called people to himself, where those who felt lost, lonely, and unwelcome could find a place where they experienced the warmth of being at home in the presence of the Lord.