The Baby Was God

The Baby Was God?

Christmas is one of those events for which there is much anticipation, it happens, and then it seems to be dropped like a hot potato. A sigh of relief is heaved, and many hurry to get on with business as usual. Of course, if the Christmas story is true, we can ill afford to sweep it aside like used wrapping paper.

A further oddity about our Christmas behavior involves the ever-present music that rings through the school house, the office, the mall. If nothing else, it is bizarre that folks will put up with it, unless of course you believe the story behind it. What is this nonsense about sin and a virgin and angels? It is either awfully weird, or absolutely wonderful!

I am trying to imagine myself walking through Rio West Mall listening to background music by Eminen or some gangster rap “artist,” loaded with racism and sexism and punctuated with the “F” word. I suspect I would stop my shopping, and arrange a visit with the boss.

And I can imagine that some, if they stopped to listen and really think about it, would be equally as offended by the pervasive music of Christmas—it must violate their worldview and cramp their lifestyle.

We could look at just about any religious Christmas song and find lines that are nothing short of outrageous. Let’s try “Joy to the World,” written by the prolific Isaac Watts with music by the venerable George Friedrich Handel.

Joy to the world! The Lord is come: Let earth receive her King!

Are you serious? There is joy for this world? Are there such things as kings any more? This song claims there is a king and we are to take him in. Amazing!

Let every heart prepare Him room, and heaven and nature sing!

I have room in my heart for my family and friends, but is there room for this relationship, and with a King, at that? This must be a big deal if the whole creation is to break forth in song!

No more let sin and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground.

All of us are against sorrow, but who believes there is such a thing as sin anymore? Some of that stuff they call sin sounds like my fun!

He comes to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found.

A curse? Do you really think there is a curse on this world? Does that explain some of the crap in my life? And this King is going to straighten that out, and bless me instead? He rules the world with truth and grace…

Whoa! Truth—whatever became of truth? I understand this King said some place that He was “the truth.” But I like this talk about grace—I need some of that in my life.

…and makes the nations prove the glories of His righteousness, and the wonders of His love.

What a strange way to talk (or sing). That suggest that when people and cultures and nations follow His ways, they prove that doing what is right and just and loving is a wise way to live!

As you can see, this is pretty substantial stuff! How is it that our culture lets it go in one ear and out the other? It all seems to have been trivialized! But this Christmas story, and the songs that attend it, deal with the biggest issues of life,. We ought to at least take the Christmas season to reconsider some of these outlandish claims.

As for me, I respond with the child in a poem by John Shea:

Sharon’s Christmas Prayer

She was five, sure of all the facts, and recited them with slow solemnity, convinced every word was revelation. She said:

“They were so poor they had only peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to eat, and they went a long way from home without getting lost. The lady rode a donkey, and the man walked, and the baby was inside the lady.

They had to stay in a stable with an ox and an ass (hee-hee), but the three rich men found them because a star lited on the roof.

Shepherds came and you could pet the sheep, but not feed them.

Then the baby was borned. And do you know who he was?”

Her quarter eyes inflated to silver dollars.

The baby was God!

And she jumped in the air, whirled around, dove into the sofa and buried her head under the cushion, which is the only proper response to the Good News of the Incarnation.

Ron Polinder, Executive Director, Rehoboth Christian School