Wed., the Third Week of Advent - Two Babies in the Manger

Luke 2:1-7 (NIV) 

¹  In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 

²  (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 

³  And everyone went to his own town to register. 

⁴  So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 

⁵  He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 

⁶  While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 

⁷  and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Matthew 18:1-5 (NIV)
¹  At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
²  He called a little child and had him stand among them.
³  And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
⁴  Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
⁵  "And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.

 In 1994, two Americans answered an invitation from the Russian Department of Education to teach morals and ethics (based on biblical principles) in the public schools. They were invited to teach at prisons, businesses, the fire and police departments and a large orphanage. About 100 boys and girls who had been abandoned, abused, and left in the care of a government‑run program were in the orphanage. They related the following story in their own words:

 It was nearing the holiday season, 1994, time for our orphans to hear, for the first time, the traditional story of Christmas. We told them about Mary  and Joseph arriving in Bethlehem. Finding no room in the inn, the couple went to a stable, where the baby Jesus was born and placed in a manger.  Throughout the story, the children and orphanage staff sat in amazement as they listened. Some sat on the edges of their stools, trying to grasp every word.

 Completing the story, we gave the children three small pieces of cardboard to make a crude manger. Each child was given a small paper square, cut from yellow napkins I had brought with me. (No colored paper was available in the city.) Following instructions, the children tore the paper and carefully laid strips in the manger for straw. Small squares of flannel, cut from a worn‑out nightgown an American lady was throwing away as she left Russia, were used for the baby's blanket. A doll‑like baby was cut from tan felt we had brought from the United States. The orphans were busy assembling their manger as I walked among them to see if they needed any help.

 All went well until I got to one table where little Misha sat_he looked to be about 6 years old and had finished his project. As I looked at the little boy's manger, I was startled to see not one, but two babies in the manger. Quickly, I called for the translator to ask the lad why there were two babies in the manger. Crossing his arms in front of him and looking at this completed manger scene, the child began to repeat the story very

seriously. For such a young boy, who had only heard the Christmas story once, he related the happenings accurately until he came to the part where Mary put the baby Jesus in the manger. Then Misha started to ad‑lib.

 He made up his own ending to the story as he said, "And when Maria laid the baby in the manger, Jesus looked at me and asked me if I had a place to stay. I told him I have no mamma and I have no papa, so I don't have any place to stay. Then Jesus told me I could stay with him. But I told him I couldn't, because I didn't have a gift to give him like everybody else did. But I wanted to stay with Jesus so much, so I thought about what I had that maybe I could use for a gift. I thought maybe if I kept him warm, that would be a good gift. So I asked Jesus, "If I keep you warm, will that be a good enough gift" And Jesus told me, "If you keep me warm, that will be the best gift anybody ever gave me." "So I got into the manger, and then Jesus looked at me and he told me I could stay with him for always."

 As little Misha finished his story, his eyes brimmed full of tears that splashed down his little cheeks. Putting his hand over his face, his head dropped to the table and his shoulders shook as he sobbed and sobbed. The little orphan had found someone who would never abandon nor abuse him, someone who would stay with him - FOR ALWAYS.

 I've learned that it's not what you have in your life, but who you have in your life that counts.

 Suffer the little children to come unto me,  and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.   (Mark 10:14)