While watching a TV show years ago, a scene came on that just wrecked me. It brought me to tears and stayed with me for a long time. I couldn’t put my finger on why it affected me so much. Then just a few months ago I could finally identify the emotion: rejection. That took me in a direction of seeing the rejection in my life that I couldn’t identify at the time.

Religion would teach us that we need to focus on our sins. The Law of Moses demands that we behave in a way consistent with the law of Moses and keep all the laws all the time. In Matthew and Mark we read that John the Baptist tells us to repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand. So are we saved sinners or are we saints?

Picture trapeze artists performing a death-defying act. We are amazed and maybe a bit scared for them. But then we notice there is a net below them. They will be caught by the net if something goes awry. Knowing there’s a safety net frees them to try even more daring tricks. Without the net, their act would likely be more conservative. It would be less fun for them, and for the audience. In fact, falling may not even cross their minds – because they know the safety net will always catch them.

Sometimes Christmas gets lost in the commercialism and religiosity all around us. We have some thoughts on this Christmas Eve.

Sweet little baby Jesus in the manger, calm and quiet, halo around His head, with arms outstretched. That’s how we see Him portrayed in every nativity scene. It’s beautiful and peaceful and we get the point. But every mother knows how unrealistic that picture is.

We know her story well. And because the verses are so familiar we tend to tune out as they are recited each Christmas. But today we take another look at this innocent young woman who loved God with all her heart.

The shepherds and the wise men are mentioned in another very familiar passage about the birth of Jesus. Here is a bit of storytelling about those nameless but favored people that were chosen to be major players in this supernatural event.

Obscurity is the fate of most men. Some travel a road that’s level and predictable, well posted with directions and destinations. Some build roads that cut through mountains of solid rock, and build bridges that span canyons and rivers, with nothing but determination and calloused hands. Some men travel roads up mountainsides carrying backpacks filled with dreams and hopes, up lanes with a promise that will heal blistered feet and tattered answers. Some men find contentment with where they are and treat inconspicuousness as confirmation of purpose not measured on any scale. One such man was Joseph from the lineage of David - destined to be the earthly father of Jesus.