Mary, The Christmas Story And The Lack of Tantrums
Posted: Monday, December 21, 2009
by Laura Trahan
As Christians, Christmas is the time of year that we reread the account and events of Christ's birth.
Most times, we curl up with our families and share the scriptures over hot chocolate or while setting up manger scenes. Or we listen to a sermon in church that convicts us to revisit the story.
You would think reading the account over and over would make it somehow stale and old. Much like my kids, I do not remember a time that I was not exposed to the story in some way at Christmas time.
This year's recount really put me in my place. I recently watched Julie and Julia. Yes, it has nothing to do with the birth of Jesus Christ, but I am a writer so humor me for a second. Julie's character that seemed self absorbed, whiny, etc. really spoke to me.
O.k. I will only admit this once. I am a little self absorbed at times and maybe a little whiny on some days. There is this portion of the movie where she is to bake this amazing dinner and she burns it and it shows her laying in the kitchen screaming and crying at the top of her lungs.
I may or may not have spent several moments laying and kicking and screaming throwing fits in my lifetime. Now to the revelation, I told you I had a point.
Last night as I pondered the story and Mary's role. I was convicted of the fact that Mary never once threw a fit.
Can you imagine having an angel tell you that you will carry a child as young as she was at the time? Let alone a child that would one day be king and save all of mankind?
Do you not think that it wasn't hard not being married at the time? Can you imagine the gossiping and pointing fingers? I have to admit, I am not sure that when the angel told me all of the events that were to take place, I wouldn't have thrown a fit right then. I might have begged him or questioned him on why he could not wait until after the marriage with Joseph.
Not Mary! She just asks how it is going to happen. She doesn't fall to her face crying and throwing a tantrum. Her life is turned upside down. Most likely in a way that she never imagined or planned, but she just goes right along.
"And Mary said: ‘My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.'" –Luke 1:46-48
There is no "Why Me?" or "This in not what I planned!" She just rejoices.
Then things get what I would consider even more eventful. She has to ride a donkey around 100 miles while severely pregnant to make it to a barn to deliver this great king. I can not imagine this at all!
For one, can you imagine the severe discomfort of riding on a donkey while that pregnant? I think I might be mumbling some disgust at this point. But then to reach Bethlehem to be told over and over there is no room?!?!?
I think that would have set me over the edge. I think I can envision my response and it would look like Kelly Preston's reaction in For Love of The Game when the baseball pitcher has cut off his hand.
"Doesn't anyone love God?" I would scream. "doesn't anyone care that I am about to give birth to a king that will have mercy on every one of you and give his life for your sins? What is wrong with you people? All I need is a room!"
Of course in real life, I would ask for drugs, competent doctors, pretty room, my family, cutest clothes, a shower, etc.
Then the barn. The innkeeper who offered the barn. Do you ever wonder if he set up a tourist tour of the barn charging families ten dollars a head to see where Jesus was born? Do you think that he ever felt guilty for not kicking another couple out of his inn and putting them in the barn?
We live across the street from cows. When the wind picks up just right, the smell is unbearable. I can not imagine the smell, especially being pregnant, inside a barn where animals had been kept.
If this does not deserve a tantrum, I don't know what does! I have reread all four gospel accounts concerning Jesus' birth and not one tells any stories of Mary throwing a tantrum.
She was told what was going to happen and she did it! I can't tell you how many times I have screamed in tears, "this is not what I had planned!" Just writing this article, I had many tantrums displayed after a dog wanted to play instead of letting me work and a kid woke up way too early on his first day of Christmas vacation.
Yet, Mary goes through all of this at a much, much younger age and never once complains. Think God is telling me something? I think He might be.
Remember this Christmas when you miss out on giving that gift you really want or you have to drive eight hours in a car with two kids and a dog when your exhausted and tired, Mary never once threw a tantrum.
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)She was one incredible woman and she was but a girl... AMAZING. Thanks for putting this all into perspective. Marijo
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