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I was with two Christian friends at the movie theatre yesterday: Kuya Allan and Ate Brighitte.  It was our deliberate way of veering away from the imminent stress brought about by many activities in line this Christmas season.  In celebration of the Christmas spirit, we decided to watch The Nativity Story, the plot of which we were all familiar with. 

With all the artistic rendition of the story aside, an d the excellence is undeniable, the film has recaptured several insights that we might have missed as Christians for many years now.  These, I realized during the film, had been washed away by the secularism that accompanies the season.  Just go to Orchard Road and none, except for that verse on Tang’s facade (which is owned by a Christian), harks back to the dramatic wonder of God being born in the flesh.  Allow me to share some of these insights.

1.  The socio-cultural environment depicted in the film substantiates the typically glossed over details of the story of Christmas.  Many of us unwittingly think that the first Christmas was a royal event with all the angels laying down the red carpet for the king.  Our Christmas decorations, with all the gold sashes and glitters, speak of such notion.  But neither was it a royal event nor a fantastic spectacle of heavenly forces. 

For one, Mary was impregnated at a tender age and within a social arrangement of betrothal that bars her from engaging in sex with her fiance.  No one would have believed her had she gone around and screamed that it was the Holy Spirit’s fault.  You can try doing it to your friends and see what happens.  Secondly, the king was born in a manger.  There was no room available.  Bethlehem was packed with many visitors for the Roman census and Joseph’s family came late, and to make things worse, with the imminent delivery by Mary. 

The Creator of this world was born to a poor family whose current condition was rejected by the norms of the community and whose social position left them at the mercy of the Roman government that was more interested in the accumulation of wealth and control of its subjects.  Hence, so much for "Joy to the World".  John’s opening passage in His gospel articulates this well: He came to the world He created, but the world knew him not.

But in another look, the family’s social position was just right.  The authorities, keen as they were of Isaiah’s prophecies, were looking for a politically influential man to proclaim a new government over Israel.  Hence, the messiah was born and grew outside authoritarian surveillance.  Who would’ve thought that a carpenter’s son would turn the world upside down?   This leads me to believe that one need not to be on top of societal echelons to influence this world.  With the right heart and by God’s grace, we can breathe life into this dead world. 

2.  Since it was not a royal affair, who welcomed the King? Well, there was no protocal followed.  Not even a visit from a public official. 

First who came were the shepherds, comparable to the uneducated class of contemporary society.  One doesn’t have to exercise his mental faculties so as to look after boring, stubborn, and yes, stupid, herds of sheep.  But it was the rejected who first experienced the Lord.  The silence of the outcasts on that night allowed them to hear the angel’s proclamation.  They were simply available.  There’s no sophisticated answer to the question of "why the shepherds?" 

Second who came, as we know, were the wise men.  Here, I take note of the error in the film.  The Bible doesn’t provide the specific number of the wise visitors from the east.  And they came around two years after Christ was born.  The manger sceneries we see in church and malls are really incorrect.  Three has been associated with the wise men because of the number of gifts they offered to the Lord.  Nevertheless, the magis in the film spoke about their respective gifts.  Gold was for the King of kings.  Frankincense, used for ceremonial worship, pointed to the priestly role that Christ was to accomplish as the only mediator between man and God.  And myrrh was for the sacrifice that was to become of Christ. 

It was not the royalty of Israel that welcomed the King.  It was the wise men from a distant nation, the least expected to herald the Lord.  Because of this, they were wise not merely for having the wit to unlock the prophecy about the star of Bethlehem.  They were wise because they knew that their wisdom was from God and ultimately for God.  The wise men were early representatives of the Gentiles, races that the Jews thought were unfavored by God, for whom Christ was also to die.

I am humbled by the incomprehensible humility shown by my God two thousand years ago.  This compels me to rethink many of my priorities in life.  It is no wonder, hence, that St Paul himself, the religious lawyer and former persecutor of the church, has acknowledged that all his acocmplishments are rubbish at the greater value of knowing the Lord Jesus Christ.  Something in Christ makes Him worthy of receiving my gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  His decision to give up His life for someone like me justifies my decision to give up mine for His glory.