Now that we have celebrated the birth of Jesus, what’s next? The story of Jesus’ early childhood includes several special characters. I often find it interesting to wonder about which of the characters I would be if I were in the story.
First we have Joseph’s family in Bethlehem. They apparently invited Joseph and Mary, his betrothed to come on down from Nazareth and stay with the family while they were involved in the Roman census. We’re not certain if Joseph and Mary were married when they arrived in Bethlehem, but we do know that Mary was pregnant and about to deliver. They were asked to stay on the first floor (or in the rear of the house) with the animals because of the ritual uncleanness of childbirth, and the family didn’t want to tie up a guest room for several days. What the family didn’t know was that Joseph, Mary, and Jesus would be hanging out with them for a couple of years. I wonder if it was really an angel who came to Joseph in a dream, telling him to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt or was it the rest of his family sending subliminal messages to move on.
Next we have the Magi. They were the astrologers or wise men from the east. We know that there were more than one of them, but we don’t know for sure how many there were. In about the 8th century we decided there were three and we named them Balthasar, Melchior, and Gaspar. Who knows why? They traveled for two years following a star. That seems a bit over the top to me.
Then we have Herod who was the Roman King of Judea at the time. He got ticked off when the Magi didn’t obey him and report back Jesus’ exact whereabouts, so he decided to kill all male children two years old and younger in Bethlehem and surrounding areas. I guess he didn’t like it when the Magi called Jesus “King of the Jews.”
What about Joseph? An angel of the Lord first appeared to him in a dream and told him to go ahead and take Mary as his wife, even though she was already pregnant. Then after about two years in Bethlehem, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in another dream and told him to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt because Herod wanted to kill Jesus. Then after a while in Egypt an angel of the Lord appeared in another dream and told him to head on back to Nazareth, because Herod had died and his son Archelaus was now king of Judea. I think if I had been Joseph, I might have been afraid to go to sleep.
Don’t forget Simeon and Anna in the temple in Jerusalem, and of course, Mary, “But Mary treasured up all of these things and pondered them in her heart.” Luke 2:19 NIV I’m not sure where I might have been in this part of Jesus’ story, but I’m blessed to know that I’m included in the part that’s playing out today. Where are you?
