Although it is not a book that has anything to do with discipleship per se, with Christmas fast approaching I decided to pull out one of my old favorites for a re-read: The Jesus I Never Knew (Zondervan, 1995) by Philip Yancey. I love the way this book makes me look past the traditions and comfort zones of our cultural Christmas and see the event we purportedly celebrate in a fresh way. I was just barely into the second chapter when I was struck again by this powerful thought:
In a few months, the birth of John the Baptist took place amid great fanfare, complete with midwives, doting relatives, and the traditional village chorus celebrating the birth of a Jewish male. Six months later, Jesus was born far from home, with no midwife, extended family, or village chorus present. A male head of household would have sufficed for the Roman census; did Joseph drag his pregnant wife along to Bethlehem in order to spare her the ignominy of childbirth in her home village? (Pg. 31)
With this in mind, it really changes the way I approach the holiday, especially whenever I receive a Christmas card with one of those idyllic manger scenes on it. To think that the eternal Lord of Glory and second person of the Godhead would lay aside His majesty (Phil 2:5-7) and come to the planet He created (Col. 1:15-16) and suffer such ignominy for me! (2 Cor. 8:9)
I would highly recommend a book like Yancey's right now to remind us of the true reason for the season. Or better yet, pass it along to an unsaved friend who might be more open than usual to consider these things at this time of year.
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