Mom and Dad had lots of stories to tell about their years of growing up in the great depression, but one stands out above them all.
They were not much more than kids when they got married; Dad was 17, Mom, 16. A hot June day was chosen to be the date for this memorable event. There was little money for anything except the bare necessities, so their wedding was simple and small. To keep the cost low, the nuptials were shared by Dad’s sister and her fiancée; but they didn’t mind the sacrifice because everything else paled in comparison to their love for each other.
Neither couple had money to rent a house, so Grandpa offered them the new chicken coup he had just built to serve as bedrooms. Fortunately, no chickens had yet come to roost. A tarp was placed down the center for privacy, creating two separate spaces. Chicken wire screened the south side of the coop for ventilation, and a tarp hung over the screen for more privacy. The tarp was rolled up at night to allow evening breezes to cool the hot sparse room.One evening while the two couples were sleeping, Mom was suddenly awakened by someone trying to open the door. Discovering the door to be locked, the intruder tried peeking through the screen in hopes of spotting a free meal. Gripped with fear, Mom quickly woke Dad, but the intruder made a hasty retreat when he discovered people were occupying the chicken coop.
I still find humor in this family tale, yet it reminds me of another story with humble beginnings when the baby Jesus was born in a stable surrounded by the sights and smells of barnyard animals. His mother, Mary, was a young virgin girl who was espoused to Joseph, a carpenter by trade, but a deeply God fearing man. Mary was taught at a young age to live a life pleasing to God, yet she was willing to risk condemnation and possible death in order to be obedient to the voice of God and to carry the Savior of the world. Joseph, also, willingly faced ridicule in order to gain the approval of God; he was, therefore, counted worthy to raise the Son of God. 
When the time came for baby Jesus to be born, the young couple couldn’t even find an empty hotel room in the town of I’ve often wondered why the God of the universe would choose such humble beginnings for his Son to be born. There were undoubtedly people with higher educations and better financial resources that were much better equipped to raise this heavenly child. But God wasn’t concerned about any of those things. Earthly knowledge paled in comparison to his wisdom, and since he was the one who created the world, money was no object for him.
Amazingly, God chose the simple things in life to confound the wise. He wasn’t interested in people who would use fame from the birth of this child for their own agenda. Instead, he was seeking people who lovingly and willingly surrendered themselves to his divine will, even when it cost them their reputations, their resources, and even relationships.
Today, God is still seeking people whose hearts are in tune with his, who willingly lay aside their own desires in order to fulfill his. He is looking for individuals who want a close relationship with him at all costs. Isaiah 66:1-2 says “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool…Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the Lord. “This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.”
Where will our focus be this Christmas season? Will we humbly bow our hearts to worship Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, or will we get so caught up in the commercial realm of Christmas that we forget the true meaning? As for me, my heart cries out with Mary as she proclaims, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” Luke 1:26-27, NIV.
