December 9th 2007 Stranger Manger Message #2

The story of the nativity is a strange one.

The King of the universe comes to live on the ramshackle third planet of a backwoods solar system in a technologically infantile time period to conquered peasants. He’s born in hayseeds, chased off to Pyramid town by a puppet ruler with abandonment issues after being warned by wizards…all so he can grow up to make tables and chairs before dying on a telephone pole.

Strange.

And yet, it is precisely this strangeness that makes the narrative so potent.

Our King humbled and emptied himself, lowering his estate to come unwelcomed into a time and place that had no honor left for heroes. He gently rebuked the misconceptions of power and privilege, caring for those our world has forgotten, and somehow caring for us as well. He reinvented our understanding of truth and love, gave us anew language for peace and hope, and restored that which is most beautiful to the commonality of our spirit.

When he was broken and bloodied, he returned with an even greater measure of forgiveness - simultaneously inditing our violence and redeeming our tears.

The nativity is a strange tale — it’s a love story where Prince Charming has no wealth to speak of, but surprises his Princess with a kingdom unlike any other.