Holiness in the Midst of a Mess

by Bethany Howard, Community Networker

The birth of a baby is beautiful, joyous, painful and messy. Can you imagine giving birth in a barn? I can’t even fathom what it must have been like! It certainly wasn’t ideal, but after days on a donkey I am sure Mary was thankful for the bed of hay. After all those miles she finds herself in labor in a dirty, smelly barn in an unfamiliar city, surrounded by animals. It was a messy endeavor at best. Why did it have to be so messy? Why did Jesus have to be born in this way, in a barn?

Because we are messy: You and me. We are born into mess and we lead crazy, messy lives. We live in the midst of chaos: broken relationships, bitterness, unrepentant spirits, squabbling children, tight budgets, weariness and some of us have spit up on our shirts. Our lives are complicated, broken and messy and we can’t simplify, mend or clean it all up.

Jesus was born pure and holy and he stayed that way in the midst of a messy world. He was born to be our rescuer, to scrub us clean with his sacrifice so that God could see us as spotless. He came to mend our broken hearts and lives. Jesus is all about the messiness of our lives and wades right into the disorder. He will help us forgive, help us be patient and enable us to become more disciplined. Actually, to become more like him: More holy and less messy.

We can’t hide our messes from God, He knows the areas of our lives that need spiffed up. If we truly seek to find him, as the wisemen did that first Christmas, then he will reveal to us the messes we are hiding. The way to become more like Jesus is to know him. He wants nothing more than to hang with messy me, with messy you.

As you celebrate Christmas this year, remember the messy stable and the holiness that resided there; remember the Savior born to redeem us from our messiness to live victorious lives. Celebrate this sacrifice, this redemption, by striving to know Jesus better. There’s no better way to celebrate.