As I was reading the Christmas story in Luke 2 for at least the hundredth time in my life this month, I noticed a set of verses I had not really noticed in the past. In Luke 2:16-19, the Bible says about the shepherds, And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
I was struck by the different reactions of these people. When the shepherds heard the news of Jesus’ arrival, …they came with haste,… They ran as fast as they could. I wondered if they left their sheep or if they were herding them in front of them as they made their way through the streets of Bethlehem. Either way, they were in a hurry to see this newborn King. After they had met this King, they were in a hurry to tell everyone about it.
Unfortunately, the news that the shepherds told was not met with the same response that the shepherds had when the angel of the Lord had brought them the news. When the shepherds told of Jesus, the Bible tells us that the people …wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. Their reaction could be likened to when we say, “Hm, that’s interesting.” They did not have that same urgency to meet the Saviour. They heard the most incredible news that had ever been shared, and they did nothing. They did not rush to the manger; at least, the Bible does not record it if they did. They just stayed in their homes. Maybe they thought, “Wow! A baby was born in a stable and was announced by angels!” However, they did not do anything about the news.
Another response to all that was occurring was Mary’s response. The Bible records for us that …Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. Mary took to heart all that had happened. She had been there for the initial announcement of the coming of this Christ Child. She rode on that long road to Bethlehem. To her, all that was happening may have seemed to be a dream. After the shepherds visited, we see recorded for the first time, But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. She held on to all that was happening. She gave attention to remembering these things and kept thinking about them. It was not just an afterthought.
I think that Christ’s birth often can become an afterthought during the Christmas season, even to Christians. After all, there are cookies to bake, meals to plan, presents to buy and then wrap, and trees to decorate. Our family tradition, as is the tradition of many others I know, has always been to read the Christmas story found in Luke 2 before we open presents. We usually tried to do this in a separate room from the presents, but I know that when I was a child at least, it was something we did so we could get to the presents. After we listened to the Christmas story and my dad prayed, I thought, “I’m glad Jesus was born. Now can we get to the part of Christmas I’m really looking forward to—the presents?” I was like those townspeople in Bethlehem. I heard a miraculous story and thought, “That’s amazing! So, what’s next?
Instead, we all should strive to be like Mary and not think of Christ’s coming only during the Christmas season but, instead, dwell on it all year long. Let us ponder these things in our hearts all 365 days of the year: a Saviour came to save us from our sins!
by Vicki Voorhis
