By Emily King-Nobles ’25

Luke 2:15-20

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

(image by unsplash)

Many of us have Christmas morning traditions. For me, it was skipping to my brother’s room to wake him up early in the morning. We would scheme ways to wake our parents while simultaneously having a pillow fight and dreaming about what would be under the tree. 

I’d say, “Josh, do you think Jesus is ready to be born yet?” I couldn’t wait for Him to be born and magic to be spread around our sweet little house.

At 22 and 24, Josh and I still throw Jesus a mini-birthday party at 6am every year. It’s one of my favorite parts of the day. I still feel like a child waiting for Jesus to finally be born.

The magic of Christmas is that the most Earth-shattering, life-changing event of our existence happened in a stable with shepherds and cows watching. Jesus invites us in to celebrate the simplicity of His stable birth every year. 

While you’re busy with holiday parties and shopping lists, my challenge for you is to not miss the simplicity of Christmas this year, as the innkeeper and Herod did. They had a chance to be a part of the beautiful birth of Christ and they missed it. It was too simple for them. They weren’t ready for a quiet, dark night to be what changed the world. 

After all, if you were throwing a big party, who would you invite? I’m going to guess not shepherds or farm animals. But that’s who Jesus chose. The shepherds working outside in the fields everyday were the first people invited to the birth of Christ. If that doesn’t tell you what Jesus values in His kingdom, I don’t know what does. We are ALL invited everyday. Into the story. Into the relationship with Christ. And we’re allowed to bring our dirt. Our mistakes. Our pains. Our anger. Our gunk. Just ask the shepherds. 

So this year, how will you celebrate? How will you be a kid just waiting for his arrival and the birth that will change everything? May your simple moments be the celebration you need this year.