Humble characters of Nativity drama

CHRISTMAS

By Rev SEIK PITOI
‘TIS the season to be jolly….and to be bombarded by telephone ads, best deals and crazy sales!
Welcome folks to that blessed time of the year again where we celebrate the birth of the Saviour of the world amidst the haze of commercialism!
As we prepare to celebrate, it is good to take a look at the nativity story once again and ask God for fresh insights. In fact, I had a good laugh one Sunday when I heard a preacher recount the nativity story, telling about the gifts the wise men brought to baby Jesus. He listed them as gold, myrrh, and Frankenstein!
While I giggled uncontrollably as the back at hearing that, most of the congregation sat unmoved, solemnly nodding away as the preacher spoke. They either didn’t hear correctly, as frankincense and Frankenstein sound similar, or they really did believe that the famous monster was among the gifts! It pays to listen carefully.
Looking at the Nativity story, I have always been impressed with the way God chose the main players in this drama. God, the Master Architect of life, set in motion events that would lead to the sending of His Son into the world. And the key players He chose in this drama were people of integrity and honour. Not perfect and sinless people, as that would be impossible (Romans 3: 23), but humble people with great faith to trust in God.
Firstly, we see an old childless couple whose years of trying to have a child proved fruitless, because the wife, Elizabeth, was barren. Both were into their senior years with no chance of having a baby – until the drama of the nativity! The husband, Zachariah, was a priest, and the Bible speaks highly of him and his wife as being people of integrity:
Luke 1:6 – “And they (Zecharaiah and Elizabeth) were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.”
They were both righteous and blameless, qualities the Lord looks for in those He desires to use. God in His divine wisdom and grace miraculously gave them a son, John the Baptist, who would be the forerunner to the coming of the Messiah (Luke 1: 57-60).
Let’s now take a look at Joseph, the person God entrusted to look after His Son and become His earthly father.
God would not just use anybody. He looked for integrity. In the drama, an engagement had taken place where a fine young man had been pledged in marriage to a lovely young woman. As was the custom then, after the betrothal, the man would go back to his father’s house to build an extension as accommodation for him and his bride. He would tell her: “I am going away to my father’s house to prepare a room for us, and ‘if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.’’
Those are the very same words Jesus spoke to teach about His second coming. (John 14: 1-3). He used the analogy of a Jewish wedding to teach the truth about His soon return.
But it is Joseph’s reaction to a problem that occurred during that engagement period that I wish to comment on. In those days, an engagement was taken seriously. While “formal marriage”, including signing of the covenant of marriage hadn’t taken place yet, the pledge was taken so seriously that if a partner broke the agreement and had marital affairs with someone else, that was tantamount to committing adultery.
The woman and her lover would be stoned to death (Deut 22: 23)! So one can imagine what came across Joseph’s mind when he found Mary, his wife-to-be, was already pregnant. Had she been unfaithful to him and given herself to another, despite her promise to wait for him? This was disheartening. But here is his heart in all this, broken though it may have been, yet still full of love for the young woman that he had loved. He loved her so much that he chose not to embarrass her.
“And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.” (Matt 1: 19).
Notice a divorce only happens when a legal marriage has taken place. This was just an engagement, yet to break it even required a notice of divorce. But a quiet separation was what Joseph wanted, simply to protect Mary from public shame and stoning. However, that was not necessary. An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and assured him that the seed planted in Mary was placed by the Holy Spirit. It was not man’s doing, but God’s (Matt 1: 20-21). His job was to play the part of a loving husband and an earthly father to the Son of God. It was no small thing. The honour for that role was given to Joseph, “a righteous man”.
Then, finally of course, the young woman, Mary. She was a virgin, meaning she had never had sexual union with anyone. That speaks heaps about integrity. As such, God chose her, the ‘highly favoured one’, to become the human vessel to bring forth the Son of God into the world.
We see the quality of humility again in her when, after initially doubting the dealings of God, she humbly concedes: “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1: 38). Let it happen just as you wish, Lord. What humility and faith!
There are many other characters in this story that we could analyse to see the quality of people God used, however, these few should suffice. Indeed, we have seen that God looks at the heart of man to check for the qualities of integrity and righteousness, against the backdrop of humility.
These are the hallmarks of His servants. He chose such people to be the main players in the drama of the birth of His Son, an event of tremendous importance to the salvation of the whole world. God’s plan of salvation could not begin until the Son of God came into the world in the form of a baby. To make that happen, these were His vessels of honour chosen for that purpose.
As we approach another Christmas, let us contemplate our own lives. As Christians, are we worthy vessels to bring forth the Messiah into our own respective settings this holiday period? Are we people of integrity and honour to be entrusted with the responsibility of making Christ known in a world that is fast losing its focus on the real meaning of Christmas?
The glitter and revelry of the season makes it just another good holiday for some, a great time to booze up and be merry. But we know it is more than that. Therefore, as those entrusted with the task of carrying His message of love, let us tell the world this Christmas that Jesus Christ is truly the “reason for the season”!

• Rev Seik Pitoi is a freelance writer.