Jesus in a Tow Truck

Last year, when our son was only 1 year old we found the “Little People Nativity Set” on Craigslist. Last year our boy just stared at it, but this year he is in his “terrific twos” so it gets a lot more play. We keep the stable, wise men, animals, angel and of course Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus on a bookshelf. But daily, we search for baby Jesus. You see, he does not remain under the star. We always find the Jesus figure throughout our home. I have found Jesus in the midst of a train yard layout, under our dinner table and even driving a tow truck, down the ramp of the Little People garage. Jesus does not stay in one place. He is not confined to the stable or his place in between Mary and Joseph. I am not the only one who has had this problem. I have seen the nativity display of infant Jesus secured by chains, and remember news reports of Jesus missing from town nativity displays. Even the gospel of Luke records Mary and Joseph looking for the “missing” boy Jesus.

We have places where we want Jesus to be. We want Jesus on the shelf, or on Sunday mornings or with us in crisis. We want a Jesus we can control and place. But Jesus tends to roam freely, to go wherever he wants. We champion the cause of keeping Christ in Christmas, but that is where we really want to keep him! Keep him in Christmas and Easter, and keep Jesus Christ in the church, as long as He doesn’t roam into other places; as long as Jesus stays away from our dinner table, or out of our tow truck, or our work place. Keep Christ in Christmas but keep him out of our Christmas and New Year’s parties. But we have a Jesus who tends to roam, who understands that true hospitality and relationship invites Jesus to roam through our hours and weeks, to visit us not only in crisis but also between calmness and celebration. So this holiday season don’t stop at keeping Christ in Christmas but also allow Jesus to find himself in the raucous celebration of the New Year, the intimacy of friendships and the grittiness of train yards and tow trucks.