Kyle's Versions of the Nativity

Kyle has enjoyed rearranging the small ceramic nativity set on my credenza table by the front door. Of course I let him play with a breakable nativity! I don't want to make it hands-off, especially when I see his version of things. The first time he rearranged it, I didn't witness him in action. I just happened upon it. He had moved all the figures in a circle surrounding Jesus, even with their backs to 'us.' When I asked him about it, he told me, "They all have to come in because they want to see baby Jesus." It didn't make sense to him for them to be spread out, not really looking closely at him. The Holy Spirit again has given me a message through Kyle. Jesus wants us looking closely at him, drawing in to him, not at a distance where we can't see him. And he is wanting us close to him so he can really see us, see our heart. My sister has a sign from Canton that is a 'play' on the song "Jesus loves me, this I know." Her sign instead says, "Jesus knows me, this I love." He wants us as close as possible, taking all his wonder and majesty in. Kyle told me that Jesus is a king. I love that.

I then discovered it rearranged with Mary's back facing the entire group. I questioned this and explained that this is Jesus' mommy and she should be looking at her baby. He argued and told me she was looking at pictures of him and Makenna and Mommy and Daddy. There are pictures of us on that wall and even next to the nativity, so I suppose that is what he saw Mary doing at that point. I then asked him why the big wiseman wasn't with the group. He told me he's a bad man. I explained that he was a king too and was bringing Jesus a gift, but he's picking up on something in the facial features of the wiseman that he doesn't like. He's wide and mysterious and I suppose Kyle is skeptical of that. He also had it arranged where Joseph and Jesus were off to the side alone. Was that his understanding of a father's unique love for a child, as it should be, focused love from a father?

I stayed out of the way and let Kyle interpret the nativity on his own. He is fascinated by all nativities. I realized that no other event in our culture has Jesus as such a focus. Even with all the commercialism of Christmas, God works through that because you can't find one store that doesn't have a nativity for sale and it's amazing to be in just about any store and hear a Jesus-centered Christmas song at some point. You can't say the same for Easter. I see more eggs and bunnies at Easter than risen Saviors and empty tomb scenes. But at Christmas, the nativity is everywhere, in yards across our nation, on tables and lit-up fences, and in our hearts. And so our children get the message of the manger everywhere they go. How wonderful that we live in a country where we are free to worship our Maker.

In the midst of much controversy about our nation's leaders, let us all remember that we have the freedom to worship Jesus, the freedom to proclaim our faith. I realize that we are persecuted even here in the U.S., but let's get serious--there are Christians killed every day for their faith and Christians worshipping in hiding today and every day of the year. I think we should all be thankful that we are where we are and with optimism, should embrace our country and not live in fear, but live in joy, knowing God is still sovereign and still trustworthy.