We watched The Star this weekend.
It was adorable. Way funnier than I expected, and way better quality than I've come to expect from "Christian" entertainment. (Sorry. I know that's my team. It's just not great at making movies.) Vava and I watched it first, and then turned it on for everyone else ... and joined them to see it a second time, because it's just so good
Mary is played by Gina Rodriguez, the actress from Jane the Virgin (yes, perfectly cast!), and her voice is awesome. I feel like sometimes Mary can be haloed up a lot, and we miss the humanity in her story. But Mary is warm, loving, funny. And while she is so clearly full of faith, she's also sometimes baffled by the life - her life - this little Son of God is coming into.
The moment that got me crying both times was when Joseph and Mary realize they're going to have the baby in a stable - and Joseph cries out, "No, no, it's not supposed to be this way!" Because of course you don't want to bring your baby into the world in a stable. So how much more do you not want to bring the Son of God into the world in a stable?
A while back, I had this conversation with God. He was asking me to do something, and I was conflicted. I didn't feel like I was a very good choice for Him; I mean - I'm not the face of anything, and I usually even struggle with the life-basic task of being the face of Janelle, so how could I take on a role from Him?
So I'm like - uhh, I don't think I can do that, God.
And He's like - why not?
Um - because I'm fat.
Winston Churchill.
But he was powerful! I'm also ... not.
Harriet Tubman.
But she - uh yeah. No, You're right.
Live your life.
But -
Live your life.
But -
Live. Your. Life.
And that is one of the strangest, loveliest things about the Christmas story. God didn't come into Mary and Joseph's life and uproot it and give them fancier stuff or easier passage. They didn't glide on a gilded road to Bethlehem, they didn't sink into a giant soaker tub after the rigours of the journey. They didn't move into the temple and become priests and spend their days debating the scriptures.
No.
He comes to us just as we are. Wants us just as we are. Uses us just as we are.
Living our life.
And gives us Jesus.
Merry Christmas, dear friends - right there in your life, from me right here in mine.
xo.
No comments:
Post a Comment