What if love could take on flesh and walk around? What would it look like? Who would it care about? Where could it be found?
A little over 2000 years ago, an angel came to announce that God’s love was coming to the world in a very real way. After a quick stop at the temple to give Zachariah some news, the angel headed out, away from the temple, away from the seats of power and the garrisons of soldiers, and shared some good news with a very young woman, and some undervalued shepherds watching their flocks by night.
Rather than choose to announce the coming of Emanuel (God with us) to royalty, priests, or the rich, the angel comes to the lowest of the low.
What if love could take on flesh and walk around? Where would love start its life? With whom would love hang around? Where can love be found?
Is it too much for me to take a little of your time to share the greatest joy that I see in the Christmas celebration? Is it too much to be excited about a little, very little thing? Well, even if it is, I do not care. I am going to share with you my Christmas joy. It is simple. It is small. It is the manger.
The manger is humble. It is dirty. But it is only dirty because it is the feeding trough of God’s animals. It is the place of blue collar workers, and faithful, salt of the earth farmers.
Growing up on a farm, I felt a deep connection with God’s choice for a crib: the manger. Jesus, the love of God in the flesh, was more than willing to join me in the barn with the pigs. That simple fact made me happier than maybe it should have. But, take a moment to share my happiness and ask, “What does the manger say about God?” “What does the manger say about the nature of love?”
You know what I think it says? I think it says that when love decides to take flesh, it decides to come and visit even the lowliest of people and creatures in the lowliest of places. When love takes on flesh, it decides to spend time with the animals and the shepherds and the farmers and the people who have no other pace to stay than a shed.
What if love could take on flesh and walk around? What would it look like? Who would it care about? Where could it be found?
If love took on flesh and walked around, I think love would probably find its way to the suffering: the ill, the disturbed, the poor, and the sinner who has not found relief from the guilt. Love would find the children and the tax collectors. Love would choose plain old salt of the earth people to hang out with and to teach. Love would heal and save them all.
Love could not care less about the large temples and fancy imperial houses. Love could not care less about those who stick up their noses and see themselves as important and morally superior. Love could not care less about wealth.
When love takes on flesh and walks around, it embraces those who could use a little…love. It would take part of its body and blood, love would, and would share it with those who hunger for a little…love.
It would not care about its own skin, but would care enough for others that it would take the fall for them. Love would find itself on a cross, full of grace and forgiveness.
Love would do that because love does not forget, or fail, or betray. It is not haughty or boastful. No, rather love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Love even endures crosses and evil. Love endures to the end.
What If?
What if love could become flesh and walk around?
What if you could see love walking and know exactly what it looked like?
What if the dirtiness of your life could be cleaned away so that you would not feel ashamed to show your face…your true face?
What if you could walk in the company of love?
What if you could become love yourself?
What if?
Do you want to know the true meaning of Christmas?
Do you want to see the true meaning with your own eyes?
Do you want to experience it?
Do you want to become a part of it?
Do you want to know love deeply; love that will not betray or forget?
What if love could become flesh and walk around?
What if you could be happy once again?
What if?
Do you? Do you want to be happy? Do you want to see love? Do you want to walk in the company of love? Then come and take a look. Take a look in the manger. See the Christ child. See love in the flesh, and be happy once again.
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