I went to the theater and saw Christmas with the Chosen: The Messengers. The movie showed the familiar scene of Joseph getting Mary into Bethlehem and looking for a place to stay. It was amusing because Joseph was a bit lost and probably should have stopped and asked for directions. But then came the moment he realized he couldn’t find Mary a decent room to give birth to the baby. The baby he knew was the Son of God.
The next scene shows Joseph having to scoop poop off the floor to make a spot for Mary to give birth. He probably used it to make a fire to keep her warm. I’m not sure what roasted poop smells like, but it’s undoubtedly gross. No scented candles set the mood for this scene. There was nothing there except manure, barnyard animals, and a feeding trough to place the baby in once He was delivered.
I bet Joseph felt like the world’s biggest failure. He didn’t have the perspective to see the barn and manger were part of God’s plan. All Joseph knew was he had been tasked by God to tend to and protect Mary and the Savior she carried. That’s a big responsibility. I’m sure in his mind he wanted her to give birth in a palace surrounded by midwives. Not in a barn surrounded by poop.
I find it bizarre that God is so comfortable with what we consider messy failure. We think we need to be perfect for Him to find pleasure in us. The Nativity Story exemplifies how God doesn’t see things the way we do. He saw Joseph as a good man willing to sacrifice himself and his reputation to follow God’s call on his life. I bet Joseph looked at his performance and thought he blew it. I wonder if he spent the rest of his life lamenting the fact that Jesus was born in a barn?
I can imagine his self-talk going something like this: “I should have left Nazareth earlier! I shouldn’t have lingered at that one camp. Why didn’t I ask for directions? God must be disappointed in me. I’m so sorry, Jesus, you deserved better than me.”
I don’t know about you, but I can relate to Joseph. There are so many instances where I think I’ve blown it and that Jesus deserves better than what I give Him. I want to provide him with perfection, but it often feels like I give Him poop.
The Lord says, “I know the plans I have for you, plans not to harm you but to prosper you and give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11).” That means every mistake and failure, every pile of manure we produce, has already been factored into the plan. I hope Joseph thought about that Scripture and took solace. I’m sure his eyes were as big as saucers when he got to Heaven and found out all was as it should have been all along. He didn’t blow it. It just didn’t look as tidy as he thought it should.
And that’s the hope I want you to get from the Nativity Story. Your life may look like a mess. You may think you’ve blown it. You may see yourself as a failure, but that doesn’t make it so. You just haven’t gotten the Heavenly perspective on your story yet. Hang in there and remember, Jesus is comfortable surrounded by the poop. Let Him be Lord and turn your mess into a message.
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