This time of year in churches all over, little children dress up in white robes, put on wings and halos, and in general, look cute! Children dressed as angels are a staple of Christmas plays everywhere. Congregations voice their “Ahhhhs” and parents and family members hope that their “angels” behave themselves. This is as it should be – angels do play a part in the Christmas story. Christmas pageants are stylized portrayals of the story of Jesus' birth, and children dressed as angels fit right in. But we should, … [Read more...] about Supporting Cast to the Christmas Story: Angels
babies
Supporting Cast to the Christmas Story: Zechariah
In our first installment, we took a look at the shepherds. Last time we considered the Magi. Now it is time to learn from the story of Zechariah. Zechariah has been in the shadow of his famous son – John the Baptist. John certainly is an important character. But Zechariah was a man who had waited a long time, and so we can benefit from his story as we wait. First note that Zechariah was “getting on in years.” And he and his wife Elizabeth were childless. In our culture, childlessness has a definite sting. Many … [Read more...] about Supporting Cast to the Christmas Story: Zechariah
Babies and Bethlehem
Few things arouse human emotion as strongly as babies do. They are one of the few remaining cultural icons of innocence, operating with the simplest and purest of human feelings. They cry when upset, they sleep when content, and their waking activities revolve around eating, pooping, and discovering that they have arms and legs. A baby's desires are not complex. And yet, as any parent knows, this does not mean that caring for them is an equally simple task. In fact, the inverse is true; the more primitive and … [Read more...] about Babies and Bethlehem