And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. – Luke 2:7
When I was growing up, the Christmas story always bothered me that the innkeeper couldn’t find a place for Mary and Joseph to stay. Standing in front of him was a pregnant woman about to give birth to her first son and a better place couldn’t be found than a barn for her to stay in? It seemed to me that he could have found more mercy in his heart and better accommodations for her.
Truthfully, the Christmas story never tells us that the innkeeper put them in a barn. Probably it was more of a cave than a barn, which would provide more privacy for Mary and Joseph than the inn would have where men and women were often separated and sleeping in large rooms with lots of other people. The scripture never tells us that there was an innkeeper. We are told there was no room in the inn so we assume there must have been an innkeeper. Now when I read the story, I have come to believe that the innkeeper was a person of compassion and mercy who provided them with the best accommodations they could offer.
Sometimes we can look at our lives and wonder what kind of difference we have really made. Will anyone remember us? If so, what will they say about us? One night, 2,000 years ago, an innkeeper saw two traveling strangers in need and offered to help in the best way they could. Today, 2,000 years later, we don’t know the name of this innkeeper or anything about them, but we know the compassion that was shown. That small act of compassion paved the way for the Light to enter the darkness of the world that has been shining ever since.
Will people remember your name 2,000 years from now? Maybe. Maybe not. But, I can promise if you do something generous and compassionate for a stranger today, your life will hold meaning for that person. The mercy you show will have a ripple effect that will last for years to come, and you can help bring light to the darkness.
Rev. Josh Attaway, Edmond Campus Pastor
