Christmas Frenzy!

The Christmas frenzy is upon us.  Crowded airports.  Long lines in the stores.  Early morning shopping deals.  Wrapping and exchanging gifts.  Christmas parties.  Perhaps, I feel the frenzy most when I dare to join the throngs and go Christmas shopping.  As I exit the mall, I get a kick out of stealthy cars, hoping to score a close parking spot by following close on my heels to my car.

Yesterday, I was shopping in Boerne with a friend and we came upon a variety of nativity scenes.  As I looked at each one, I was captivated by the simplicity and ruggedness of the manger scene.  Three wise men.  Mary and Joseph. The baby Jesus.  A camel, sheep and manger.  Barns for the most part, aren't real cozy, warm and comfortable places.  No curtains.  No couches or beds.  No heaters.  No decorations.  No lights.  The birth of the baby Jesus in such a place seems a far cry from how Christmas is depicted today.

The baby Jesus could have been born in a shopping mall.  But He wasn't.  Or on a subway in Manhattan.  Or Michigan Avenue in Chicago.  Or Hollywood on a hill.  But He wasn't.  God chose a simple manger, far from civilization for the birth of His Son.  Jesus' birth characterized his entire life, one of humility.  His life was not about getting a name for Himself. Jesus' life was about glorifying His Father in life as well as death.  We would do well to follow Jesus in His character and actions.
Take a look at a nativity scene this week.  Stare at it for a while.  Allow yourself time to walk into the manger.  Hear the sounds from the barn.  Feel the cold and wind leaking through the old barn cracks.  Move close to the manger and look intently on the baby Jesus.  Hear his cries.  Look at the wonder and amazement on Mary and Joseph's faces.  Feel what they must have felt.  Jesus' birth is one amazing miracle.

Could it be that the Christmas frenzy hinders you from contemplating the beauty and simplicity of Christmas?  Ask yourself, "Have I allowed Christmas to become way too big a production?  How can I simplify for me and/or my family?  How can I focus these days leading up to Christmas on what matters most?" Today is a new day.  Let's start up by looking to the manger...and learning from the beauty and simplicity of Jesus' birth.  Merry Christmas!

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain for the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.