Are you an innkeeper or a shepherd? That’s the question I’ve been asking myself lately. Sticking with the Christmas story from Luke, I wonder which one of the characters I would be in the story.
Let’s reread it shall we?
2 Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all [a]the inhabited earth. 2 [b]This was the first census taken while [c]Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. 4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5 in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. 6 While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a [d]manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is [e]Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a [f]manger.” 13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among men [g]with whom He is pleased.”
15 When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the [h]manger. 17 When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.
A lot has been made of the innkeeper that isn’t actually said in scripture. He’s been made a villian. Poor Mary shows up at his doorstep, very pregnant and he turns her away. This is shown in videos, and played out on stage. I’ve also heard that the innkeeper is generous. He didn’t have room in his house so he made room where he could.
Actually, the innkeeper isn’t even named in Luke. It simply says “and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:7
Whether or not there was one mean innkeeper or many people who didn’t have a guest room in their home, it really doesn’t matter.
The bottom line is that one night, in the town of Bethlehem, Jesus was born and there was no room for him.
Each person in that town went about their business as usual, unaware of what was happening right in front of them.
And then we have the shepherds. My NIV version of the Bible says that the shepherds were living out in the fields nearby. They were living without room. Their status was as humble as possible. As I wrote about last week, an angel appears, their lives are disrupted and they find Jesus. After they find him “they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the sheperds said to them.” Luke 2:17-18
One thing that I wonder…how far out of town were those shepherds? Was it so far off that the chorus of angels couldn’t be visible in the town? Or is it possible that the people in Bethlehem missed the angels outside their window?
Unlike the town of Bethlehem and the innkeeper, the shepherds lives are turned upside down that night and they live it out.
So am I the innkeeper or the shepherd? Recovering the wonder of Christmas is about more than enjoying quiet moments. It’s about more than inviting God into my life, giving him time in the morning and then going on with my day. Honestly it’s about more than just basking in God’s love for me, though I do think that’s a VERY good thing.
Recognizing that God loves us so much that Christ came down is the very beginning of Christmas. But there’s more to the story.
God is a disrupter. He disrupts our plans. He invites us into his story so that others can be amazed at how we’re changed.
Have you ever wondered what changed in the shepherds that night? In verse 17 and 18 it says “When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and ALL who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.“
What would it take to be more like the shepherd?
The shepherds were living in humility. They already knew their status was low. They weren’t trying to pretend it was anything other than what it was.
So when the angel showed up and they found Jesus, they had no choice but to share what they had seen and heard because it changed them. God changed them.
Do I recognize my own humanity? Can I see that I’m in need of Jesus all the time? I can’t do enough good things to ever earn God’s love. And yet God loves me (and you) enough that he generously made a way for us to be with him. Does that news overwhelm me enough that I want to share it? Does it change me every time I think about it?
This week on social media I started a little project called Mission Monday. The idea is that every Monday I’ll take on a mission for the week to live out the truth that to love God means that we also love people. It’s based on Matthew 22: 37-40 “And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”
The two go hand in hand. If we love God but we’re crappy to the people all around us, we aren’t being like the shepherds. People might be amazed by us…amazed at how unkind we are perhaps. But they won’t want to follow Jesus.
And if we love people but we don’t love God, we’ll rely on our own viewpoints and perspective. We may love those in our lives who are lovable, but what about the ones who are difficult? Without God we may be able to love others for a time, but our patience, our endurance to keep going will wear out.
I want people to watch my life, every single part of it and want to know more about God. I want to love the people in front of me the way God asks me to. Like the shepherds I want people to see a change in me and be amazed.
This week, let’s show the world that Christmas has changed us…in a way that will leave people amazed.
Takeaway Time!
Think of someone in your life who is difficult. Perhaps it’s someone you work with, or maybe it’s a person on Facebook who has political views that are polar opposite of your own. It could even be someone in your family.
Now I want you to pray for them. Pray for blessings on them. And then, would you ask God to help you see something good in this person? Something beautiful?
This last request is big…would you find a way to tell that person the beautiful thing you see? Maybe it takes all of your bravery to write it in a card or text it to them. Or maybe you’re feeling really courageous and you’re able to speak something beautiful to them. Whatever it takes, try to speak life into this person. Do it without expectation. He or she may receive it with grace and be grateful. It may be the beginning of something awesome. It could also fall flat. It doesn’t matter what the outcome is. What matters is that you’re listening to God, letting him change you and living out of that place. God controls how it’s received. Let that be enough.
Sarah J Boonstra 