Christmas! Ah yes, the season of holiday cheer, festive decorations,
strings of bright lights, fancy wrapped packages with glittering bows, cookies,
parties, shopping, shopping, shopping… It’s
a wonderful time—a busy time. A time when, according to The Statistic Portal, Americans
will spend an average of approximately $794 on Christmas gifts. Out of
curiosity, I investigated another online site, CreditDonkey.com (yes, there
really is such a site and it can be located at https://www.creditdonkey.com/gift-giving.html
). It seems Credit Donkey polled 1,076 Americans age 18 and over during October
7-11, 2013, just five years ago. At that time, the following percentages were
discovered:
- · Gift cards: 82% want to receive gift cards; 69% plan to give gift cards
- · Electronics: 76% want to receive electronics; 63% plan to give electronics
- · Clothing: 68% want to receive clothing; 59% plan to give clothing
- · Books: 62% want to receive books; 58% plan to give books
- · Toys: 56% plan to give toys and 79% of parents plan to give toys
- · 43% of those polled admitted they will get a gift for themselves
- · 54% will return gifts given to them (unless it is a gift card)
For the Christian, our perspective on Christmas gifts takes a different
focus. For us, the primary gift given on the very first “Christmas” day was the
gift of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the Only Son of God. He came to
begin the plan of salvation that will eventually culminate in his Second Advent—the
blessed hope for which we wait. No other gift to us could ever compare with
God’s gift of his Beloved Son.
However; if you have ever read any of my previous blogs, you know I
love to look at some of the more obscure details in life. This blog entry will
look at the various individuals who were present during the original “Christmas,”
to consider some of the other gifts—the less obvious gifts—given during that
first Christmas.
To set the background, perhaps you are familiar with the original
Broadway production of the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music featuring Mary Martin
as Maria, or perhaps the1965 film version with Julie Andrews as Maria. The
title of today’s blog comes from the famous song “My Favorite Things.” Along
with “whiskers on kittens” and “warm woolen mittens,” the character of Maria
found comfort in the simple things, even “brown paper packages tied up with
strings.” It occurs to me that the original story of Christmas (Matthew
chapters 1-2, and Luke chapters 1-2) includes the receiving of many brown paper
packages. These little “brown paper packages tied up with strings”—the less
obvious gifts—are the ones we will try to discover as we explore the First
Advent.
Joseph
Joseph was a righteous man,
unwilling to publicly disgrace his pregnant teenage fiancée. What should he do?
He was a man full of uncertainty regarding the future. His first brown paper
package contained the gift of assurance.
Matthew 1:20-21 --an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
Joseph received a second brown
paper package, the gift of guidance in the midst of danger.
Matthew 2:13 When they [the Magi] had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
Mary
Most historical scholars believe
Mary to be a young teenage girl, possibly as young as 13, and betrothed to
Joseph according to Jewish customs of the day. One can only imagine the bewilderment
gripping Mary as she realizes the enormity of the task facing her, the task of
giving birth to and raising the Son of God.
Mary has found favor with God. She unwraps the gift of calming peace
in the midst of perplexity.
Luke 1:30-31, 35 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. … The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.”
Simeon and Anna
Simeon was a righteous and devout
man. His age is not mentioned although most scholars agree he was in his
advanced years. Anna was a prophetess and the Bible does reveal her age. She
had only been married seven years when her husband died leaving her a widow
until she was 84 years of age. We are told Anna worshiped and prayed night and
day, never leaving the temple. Although they were two distinctive individuals,
Simeon and Anna shared in the common bond of anticipation. They knew the
scriptures foretelling the birth of The Messiah. Would they be able to live
long enough to welcome the coming Messiah? Senior adults can identify well with
the aches and pains of age that Simeon and Anna must have felt as they waited.
Pulling the string off their brown paper packages, they unwrap the gift of
endurance and the gift of promise.
Luke 2:26, 28, and 38 It had been revealed to him [Simeon] by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. … Simeon took him [Jesus] in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation.” … Coming up to them [Mary and Joseph with the infant] at that very moment, she [Anna] gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
Magi from the East
In 1857, John H. Hopkins, Jr.
penned the classic Christmas hymn “We Three Kings of Orient Are.” It is most likely this hymn in combination
with three specifically mentioned gifts in the Bible—gold, frankincense, and
myrrh—that establishes the image of three wisemen in modern day nativity sets. In
truth, many biblical scholars believe the caravan of Magi to be as great as 200
in keeping with historical and cultural traditions of travel at that time.
Ironically, the Magi are considered the premiere gift-givers of the original
Christmas event. Their gifts were extravagant and to call the gifts costly
seems understated. What possible brown paper packages could they receive? To
the Magi were given the gifts of wisdom and discernment in order to
avoid King Herod’s brutal schemes.
Matthew 2:11-12 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
Shepherds
In all honesty, I believe the
shepherds are my favorite participants in the original “Christmas” event.
Culture and tradition reveal that sheep-herding was about the lowest occupation
of the time and generally delegated to the youngest son. Big brothers had the
better chores and little brothers were scooted outside to tend the sheep. Perhaps
this is why Samuel had to wait for Jesse to bring his youngest son David in
from the field; how could Jesse imagine the scruffy young boy was to be
anointed as a future king? (1 Samuel 16:1-13)
Being a shepherd was also dangerous, especially during the dark evening
hours full of hungry wild animals and ruthless thieves. It is in this setting
we find the little band of shepherds.
Luke 2:8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
It was the little band of
shepherds who opened at least three brown paper packages that night. Can you
imagine how frightening it would be out in the darkest night when the first
angel appeared and the brightness of the glory of God shone around them? No
wonder they were terrified. Just as Mary did, the shepherds also unwrap their
first package to discover the gift of calming peace as the angel brings
good news full of joy. To the shepherds’ amazement, when the first angel
finishes speaking, a great company of heavenly host appears and together they
sing praises: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom
his favor rests (vs. 13-14).”
Now the shepherds unwrap their
second package to discover the gift of boldness.
Luke 2:15-16 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.
Finally, a third brown paper
package is unwrapped by the shepherds. This gift is simply amazing. This little
group of scruffy boys, most likely filthy and smelling somewhat like the flocks
they tended, is given a precious gift—the gift of credibility.
Luke 2:17-18, 20 When they [the shepherds] had seen him [Jesus], 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. … The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
It is my sincerest hope that this
devotion finds you busily enjoying the wonderful holiday events and traditions
of a joyous Christmas season. It is my challenge to you that you would take
time during this Advent to read the entire account of the original “Christmas”
found in Matthew (chapters 1
and 2) and Luke (chapters 1
and 2). It is my request that you join with me in prayer for our many friends
and loved ones who struggle each year to manage what I call “the Holiday blues.”
They need our love and support as well as our fervent prayers. But most of all, no matter what brightly
colored presents adorn your tree this year, my greatest desire is that you
might receive one or more of the “brown paper packages tied up with string”
found in the original “Christmas” event.
e e e
the gift of assurance the
gift of guidance the gift
of endurance
e e e
the gift of promise the
gift of wisdom the gift
of discernment
e e e
the gift of calming peace the gift of boldness the gift of credibility
Merry Christmas to you all, and may God richly bless you!
Respectfully written and submitted by:
Dotty Willmon, Resurrection Christian (eagerly awaiting the return of
Jesus Christ our Lord!)
