The Christmas Circle

I have been spending a good deal of time reading lately since battling bronchitis and came across this story from a missionary named Brenda serving in Asia. I honestly must tell you that nothing I have read lately is more convicting and such a timely straight on message for this week.

"But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people'" Luke 2:10

"When my husband and I responded to God's call to come to Southeast Asia, packing was a challenge. There simply wasn't room for the holiday decorations I had accumulated during the years. All that remained for our new home was a Nativity set that I had bought in a neighboring country.

With great care, I placed the ceramic pieces on my table. An angel was in the back; Mary, Joseph and the baby were in front; wise men were on the right; and the shepherds and cattle were placed on the left. The standard American setup.

The next day while I was at language school, my house helper looked at the Nativity. When I came back later that day, my carefully arranged pieces were now in a circle, all mixed up, with the baby in the middle. Thinking she had dusted and didn't know how to arrange them correctly, I moved them back in the proper order. The following day the Nativity scene was once again in a circle. This went on four more days until I finally asked her why she kept moving the pieces-after all, everyone knows shepherds and wise men have definite stations in life and her arrangement just wouldn't happen.

She pointed to the scene and said, "Jesus should be the center of everything." Pointing to her heart, she continued, "Just like in here." Pointing to the wise men, then to a shepherd and then to herself, she continued to teach me, saying, "He loves us all the same."

-Brenda, Pacific Rim

Is Jesus the center of everything for you? Especially this week, as we celebrate His birth, we tend to lose focus on what matters. With gifts to buy and wrap, food to bake, places to be, family to see, we forget that Jesus is the center of everything. He is the reason for the season. Period. Spend some time first praying that Jesus would today be the center of your life in everything you do. Then pray that you would look for opportunities to share Jesus with anyone who crosses your path.


God bless you!