The Baby That Changed Everything

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."    Luke 2:11-12

" The Luck of Roaring Camp"  is a short story by American author Bret Harte. According to the story, Roaring Camp was supposed to be the meanest, toughest mining camp with more murders and thefts than any other camp in the West. It was a terrible place inhabited entirely by men and one woman who tried to serve them all. Her name was Cherokee Sal. She died while giving birth to a baby boy. With the birth of this tiny baby, regeneration came to Roaring Camp.

The rough, coarse, vile men began to care for the baby. They put him in a rag-filled box, but that didn't look right to them, so they sent one of the men eighty miles to buy a rosewood cradle. The baby was wrapped in the rags and placed in the cradle. The rags didn't look right, so they sent another man to Sacramento and returned with beautiful silk blankets. They wrapped the baby in the new blankets and placed him in the rosewood cradle. It looked fine until someone happened to notice that the floor was filthy. So these hardened, tough men got down on their knees and scrubbed the floor until it was clean. Of course, the clean floor made the dirty walls and ceiling look terrible. So they washed down the entire cabin and put curtains on the windows.

They began to take the baby outside in his cradle to see him as they came up from the mine. Someone noticed how dirty the entrance to the mine was, so they planted flowers and soon had a beautiful garden. Everything was slowly being transformed. But the biggest change was in the men themselves. They stopped brawling and fighting so the baby could sleep in peace. They stopped cursing and using vulgar language.

When they reached out to pat the baby, they noticed how dirty their hands were. The general store was soon sold out of soap and shaving gear. That little baby boy changed everything!

Over two thousand years ago, another baby boy quietly entered the world. Angels announced his birth to a group of rough, dirty shepherds watching over their flock. They decided to go to Bethlehem and see this baby for themselves. They left the field where they had heard the astounding news that a Savior, who was Christ the Lord, had been born. They had seen the glory of God and heard angels singing His praises.

They found this baby in a stable, lying in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes. They had to be shocked to find the Savior, the Son of God, lying in such dirty, smelly, crude conditions. But, the shock was quickly replaced by awe and wonder. The shekinah glory of God emanating from that baby transformed the dirty stable into a glorious temple. It affected the shepherds. They returned home, glorifying and praising God for all they had  seen  and  heard.

Babies change everything. Last week a young couple in my church was blessed by the birth of a baby boy. Life has changed for them. Babies bring a lot of joy, but they also require plenty of attention and care. All any new mother wants for Christmas is a good night's sleep!

Jesus Christ came as a helpless baby into a very dark, sinful world. He came to bring truth, life, and regeneration to sinful mankind. The Infinite became the Infant --- the baby that changed everything!

Sir Edwin Landseer was one of the most famous painters of the Victorian era. One day as he was visiting a family in an old mansion in Scotland, one of the servants spilled a pitcher of soda water, leaving a large stain on the wall. While the family was out for the day, Landseer remained behind. Using charcoal, he incorporated the stain into a beautiful drawing. When the family returned, they found a picture of a waterfall surrounded by trees and animals. The master artist used his skill to make something beautiful out of what had been an unsightly mess.

      "Longfellow could take a worthless sheet of paper, write a poem on it, and make it worth six thousand dollars --  that's genius!

       Rockefeller could sign his name to a piece of paper and make it worth a million dollars --  that's capital!

       Uncle Sam can take gold, stamp an eagle on it, and make it worth twenty dollars --  that's money!

       A mechanic can take material that is worth five dollars and make it worth fifty dollars --  that's skill!

       An artist can take a fifty-cent piece of canvas, paint a picture on it, and make it worth a thousand dollars --  that's art!

       God can take a sinful life, wash it in the blood of Christ, put His Spirit in it, and make it a blessing to humanity --  that's Salvation!" ~ Paul L. Han

If God seems far away this Christmas season, take the time to re-visit Bethlehem, and hear again the echo of angels singing. Let your heart experience the wonder, awe, and peace, but most of all, the overflowing presence of Jesus Christ -- the baby that changed everything!

God grant you the light in Christmas, which is faith; the warmth of Christmas, which is love; the radiance of Christmas, which is purity; the righteousness of Christmas, which is justice; the belief in Christmas, which is truth; the  ALL  of Christmas, which is Christ. ~  Wilda English

From my heart to yours --- Merry Christmas! May the baby, the Lord Jesus Christ, change your fear to confidence, your anxiety to peace, and your stress to sweet rest.