IN THE BEGINNING....A SPECIAL BABY!
A
few years ago, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints produced a
Christmas movie titled simply, “The Christ Child”. It is about 18 minutes long, and it captured
me completely. I have watched it several
times each Christmas—and even other times of the year. It is like I’m seeing it for the first time
every time I watch it, it’s that good!
The
video starts with Joseph out in the yard preparing for their journey to
Bethlehem. Mary is standing in the
doorway of their simple home, obviously in the well-advanced stages of her pregnancy. The next scene is them walking along with
others who were also going to be taxed as decreed by Caesar Augustus. The story unfolds pretty much like the world
has heard it for years, but there are details that make it so much better than
any other video or movie of the momentous event of Christ’s birth.
For
example, the dialogue is not in English.
The few words they say are in Aramaic, and they are not translated for the
viewer. Neither the “Inn” nor the “stable”
is what we are visually used to seeing either.
They are actually in the home of relatives, but the upper chamber where
they would have been sleeping was full of loud people and a lot of clamorous
noise.
When
Mary goes into labor, Joseph asks if there is a quiet spot they can go to. They are directed to a stall. Mary’s labor is so real, I could instantly
relate! No, she didn’t want a bite of
food! No, don’t make her move during a
contraction! And after the baby is born,
Joseph picks up the baby and holds him in one of the scenes while Mary rests.
Some
other details are also different but historically correct. Among them is a stone crib for the manger, just
like people then used to fill with hay for their cows. Mary sings the baby a lullaby. It is one of the Psalms which a mother at
that time would have done.
Lastly,
after the shepherds have been told of Christ’s birth by a heavenly host of
angels and go to see the new Messiah, the Wise Men far away in the East are
plotting celestial diagrams for the location of the star which has been
prophesied. They arrive at Joseph and Mary’s home, not the stable
because Jesus is about two years old by this time. And, oh, the little boy as Jesus in this
movie just melts my heart. As he peeks
out when the Wise Men humbly bow before Him with their gifts, he smiles so
sweetly.
And
that’s the end of the movie…with this one last line on the screen
“JESUS OF NAZARETH WENT ABOUT DOING GOOD...” Acts
10:38
THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE...A SPECIAL SON OF GOD!
_______________________________________________________________
The INVITATION: Go about doing good!
We can do that, too. We can ALL go about doing good. Let's do that every day!
As we emulate Christ's perfect example, our hands can become His hands.
NOTE: This is a Nativity story
you won’t want to miss viewing—no matter what time of the year. It is time well-spent. The easiest way to access it is on You Tube.
The Christ Child: A Nativity Story |
#LightTheWorld
