New Meaning for my Nativity Set

At Church today, there were several talks on the characters of the Nativity. The presenters brought up topics that I had never pondered before.

Shepherds - people of a very humble origin that would otherwise be lost to history. They are rememberd by history because they believed the Angel's message, went with haste to see, and then they testified of what they saw. They were humble, sought out Christ, and testified of Him in their lives.

Wise Men or Magi - These people were actively seeking Christ, searching the prophecies and the skys for the signs of His comming. When they saw the signs, they came prepared, already bearing gifts, seeking the Christ Child.

Joseph - Someone that is really made out to be a minor character, but he wasn't. This man, whom God chose to raise and protect His Son was very quick to obey. He was told that Mary's Child was the Son of God, and Joseph immedately finalized the marriage arrangements. When told to leave for Egypt, he left that night. When he took his family back to Israel, they did not return to Bethlehem.

Mary - She believed. She knew that she did not understand all things, but was submissive to the will of God. She trusted that all would be well.

They all focused on how to update the nativity in our lives. These are attributes that I can develop in my life. It is not just a story to tell and remember. We can look for the signs, we can testify of Christ, we can be quick to obey the Lord, we can be accepting of what the Lord requires of us and belive that all will be well.