A little child will lead them. — Isaiah 11:6
While they were there, the time came for Mary to have her baby. She gave birth to her firstborn child, a son, wrapped him snugly, and laid him in a manger. — Luke 2:6-7
Note that this Christmas text did NOT say that Mary gave birth to the Savior, Messiah, Son of God, etc. Rather, Mary simply gave birth to a baby.
In the days leading up to Christmas, one of the best ways to prepare is to simply notice the babies and young children around us.
The picture above is Isaac, the son of my son’s best friend. It was taken at the bowling alley while we were bowling. I think that picture captures why children are so captivating to us. Their innocence, sense of wonder, honesty, playfulness. They are what we used to be and, in a different sense, also what we should strive to become.
Jesus legendarily blessed children, of course. He said that the Father’s kingdom is made up of children. Maybe he was speaking about lightening up our lives by dropping the heavy load of adulthood at times and just imagining ourselves to be kids set loose in a bowling alley. Just as it’s impossible for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, so is it impossible for us to drag around our heavy baggage and expect to enter the kingdom “our Father” is offering, a kingdom where worries recede and joy grows.
So what heavy adult worry will you trust God with? Maybe, just for a day at least, live as if the world is indeed your bowling alley. The God Jesus called Daddy has things under control, just as a good parent should. If we practice this, then maybe we’ll see the baby Jesus as someone inviting us to return to a playfulness and innocence we mistakenly feel is lost.
Who knows? Maybe Jesus has his hat on backwards, too.