Little town, BIG picture

O little town of Bethlehem, How still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by;
Yet in thy dark street shineth the everlasting light;
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

Listen to the words of this hymn… Can you hear it? Can you see what has happened? No, not the obvious, but the hidden message; the whole picture of Christmas coming to life in just a few words and phrases. Every time I hear this hymn I think of the whole story of Christmas.

I think of Mary, the one that couldn’t possibly be old enough to be having a baby, let alone this child. I think of Gabriel who had to tell Mary the news of the birth and how he may have had the same fear. Gabriel might have thought that hopefully, even though he told her, “You mustn’t be afraid”, she wouldn’t notice how frightened he must have been as he worked through his own doubts about this young lady and her response to his news.

And then my thoughts turn to Joseph. You know him, the earthly father charged with the enormous duty of having to raise a child in a world that would prove not ready for him. That is if Joseph doesn’t leave Mary first. After all, she is pregnant, and Joseph knew he didn’t have anything to do with it! Nevertheless, he stayed by her side at the cradle, not just “till morning was nigh” but for the rest of their lives.

Can’t you hear it all being sung in this hymn? Mary, Gabriel, Joseph; they’re all in there. Even the shepherds can’t be overlooked. It was after all the shepherds whose lives were changed outside of town in a field as they “lay keeping their sheep.”

And yes, if you listen hard enough, you can picture Caesar Augustus himself; mister high and mighty. Not really known for anything, but ruling Rome. But listen closely and you’ll picture Caesar, and the time of his reign where he required everyone to venture to a little obscure town for a census to be taken. And if it hadn’t been for Caesar, there wouldn’t have been a cheap little motel, all booked up for the occasion, with nothing to offer but a small barn with hay for a bed, and maybe a calf to keep company to a pregnant country girl and her faithful husband. All too often we find ourselves in Bethlehem, not for a census, not even searching for the newborn king. We’re just there, simply existing and going through the motions of being a Christian. We find ourselves in one of the rooms of the motel, sleeping quietly, unaware of the miracle taking place right outside of our window.

We hear this hymn and at first glance, we think of the beauty and romance of Christmas, overlooking the characters and their emotions and feelings. But one thing is for sure, when listen closely, we hear the voice of Jesus as he opens his mouth and breathes life for the first time. And in his cries and coos that seem to illumine the darkest street or even the blackest heart, you can hear a soft whisper, “Come…”, “Follow me…” For as we all know, on this side of the cradle, Jesus, the one not worthy of a proper birth, becomes the “Light of the World.” As you focus on his light this Christmas…as you sing this hymn …may you be reminded that all of your hopes and fears, of all your years, are met in thee tonight.