Nativity in Action
Nativity in Action
BY MADILYN JOHANSON
When I set up our nativity this year I couldn’t stop rearranging it until I mixed the group up, and then it was finally perfect. I was hit by how much more powerful the scene felt when the individuals interacted with each other, all there to worship the Christ child as a united group.
Despite not actually being there at the same time in the nativity story, we set up the shepherds and wisemen having conversations; where rank and resources fall away, and what is left is a witness of their mutual love of the Savior. They seem to be sharing their personal journeys to Him with each other. Mary seems like she is listening to one of the wisemen share his tender feelings of love and patient hope, cherishing what he has to say. She looks like she is inviting him to have his personal experience with Jesus; ministering to somebody of obvious “importance”, who could have been a great king or a holy man. Respected, seasoned, wealthy and acclaimed, sitting by a young woman who was likely not yet 20, who had very little available to her by way of education, position, or worldly measures of success. The wiseman’s small moment with Mary shows this awe of the Son, and also great reverence of the mother who would raise and nurture the Savior of the world. It speaks volumes of them both, and of the newborn king. And then there is Joseph, a novice, tender, overwhelmed adoptive father to not just any child, but the prophesied Immanuel. His posture is careful, unsure, protective and humble as he hands the new baby to an earnest shepherd. Joseph and Mary are separated in the scene, no longer secured in a private niche for their young and burdened family. But there is no threat to them in that; they are equal in their effort to open their arms and hearts to others. They can divide and conquer, bringing everybody they can to know the miraculous person who has been laid in their charge. Their mission to raise the Son of God is enormous, and they confidently, quietly go about their work as a team. I love seeing them in action like I hadn’t thought of before.
Jesus could not yet personally invite or seek out anybody who needed Him, and that mediating role was laid on Mary and Joseph. I have come to respect what they did as young parents more than I ever could have before. Their willingness to take on all that they did is to their eternal credit, and I’m grateful for a young mom and a new dad who I see as a sweet, solid, unbreakable team.
Mary and Joseph were able to be those parents because they were trusted to be them, and then receptive to being transformed by Christ. They were invited into, and then very much succored and led through their experience. The Savior brings out the best in all of us because He expects it, and gives us all that we need to deliver on those expectations. Because of Him, we can become all that He requires of us, even when things are required that we feel are completely out of our depth and beyond our reach. We do not heave any burden, reach any height, climb from any pit, conquer any self, carry any mantle, trudge any gulf, become anything, or walk any dreary trail alone. He is in it all. His sweet presence invites us to step up, evaluate ourselves, and contribute what we can- when most of the time the contribution is just opening our hearts to others so they can come and see Him.
I love this nativity and the new perspective on it, and the desire to be more like Joseph and Mary. They are heroes.
Merry Christmas 🤍
