“What If?”: The Christmas Message
Having celebrated Christmas for more than two decades now, the story and reminiscence of the birth of the Christ is one that I am all so familiar with and I’m of very rugged convictions that such is the experience of many-of-us.
This year, in a conversation with my partner while we visited a carol service, she would share with me, what would be a totally different perspective to this annual commemoration for me. She said, “…you know, we are so used to the timeline of the events that led to the birth of The Christ; but what if a number of the preceding factors had not been?” She continued, “What if the Magi had missed the Star? Or what if the shepherds had taken that particular night off from watching their flock? What if the inn-keeper did not have an animal house/manger? What if all these things had not been in their places at the time of what is probably the most important woman’s-labor-period in the history of mankind?”
This was a mini-sermon that has spoken to me so much since. I theme it the ‘What If? Sermon’ — and the underlying power within this simple phrase is “the revelation of how important each and every one of us is — to the total story and grand life picture”.
Following up on her ‘sermon’, I proceeded to reread the all-too-familiar account of the ‘Silent, Holy Night’ and the birth of Christ generally and indeed found striking messages I’d overlooked all these years — which most of us might have too. Through Matthew Chapters 1 v. 18–24 and 2 v. 1–23, I read phrases such as “…all this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said…” or “…and so was fulfilled what was said through the prophet…” or “…as had been written…” in a number of places. Thus, in the end, everything was a part of a prophecy, a plan; but I would doubt the characters within the story had any idea they were living out history at the time of its occurrence.
Let us think of this for a moment. Had Joseph gone ahead and divorced Mary, the Son would not have been from the House of David. Had the shepherds not watched their flock that night, there’d not have been an evangelical party as large to dissipate the good news for all mankind. Had the Magi decided to give up on following the Star within the two-year period, the Kingly welcome wouldn’t have been! Most importantly, had the Savior not been born and given, what a blessed friend we would have missed.
Most of these factors would have been on any day, considered insignificant, and we wouldn’t even deceive ourselves into thinking they are, in the grand scheme of life. But the fact that the performers stuck to them nevertheless and saw them through, gave us this beautiful story we share today. So, here’s the simple message I share from her sermon; “Keep doing your best”. A mansion started with a brick and a great book started with a line. In whatever you do, whenever you may do it, give it your best. Follow through, beat the odds, and even when others don’t make you feel important, really know that you are. You may certainly not carry all the powers-that-be but yours is definitely a power-needed.
So, a singer, an artist, a craftsman, an apprentice, an understudy, a substitute goalkeeper, a cook, a doctor, a bus driver, a farmer, a priest, a teacher, a lawyer, a trader. Remind yourself today of your worth; because ‘what if you decided to not exist today? The world, someone’s world, would have still changed”.
Be grateful for your life and keep doing your best. Merry Christmas!
