Were You Born in a Barn?

Kids are pretty cruel, they say. Seems like I remember such cruelty in my own day. Was it I that said it, or someone else, I can't recall... But it was said more than once. "Were you born in a barn?" The query usually followed the reckless entry into a room from the cold outside, without bothering to close the door. "Were you born in a barn?" came the insult quickly and automatically.

Not that there is anything particularly ignominious in having been born in a barn. It was just meant to describe the offender as a low-class person...

I imagine Jesus being asked that question, and replying calmly, "As a matter of fact, I was."

We call it Christmas morning, named after the Roman Catholic ritual which evolved centuries after the Holy Birth. All is bright and cheery and fun on that day. But the One born in the barn... they say the day is about Him, yet I wonder how bright and cheery and fun that day was for Him? God's first hands-on experience in the new planet. Surrounded by two humans and a cast of animals. And their droppings.

To us that sounds horrendous. To the Creator of those animals , perhaps it was not so bad at that. Yet we esteem Him to be low-class, and are thankful that we can look down and bless Him. We feel the same way about His fellow "baekjeong" [Korean for low-class] I fear. They are down. We are up. They are out. We are in. They have nothing. We have everything.

And so we give our gifts to the lowly One and the lowly ones, we feel better, we move on. We ignore the fact that the "Christ-child" had already been told, "No room" and was relegated to animal status for that reason. No room for the lowly of any nation, especially the lowly followers of that same Christ. And we forget one other major factor: All of this was by choice. Our feeling sorry for the Son of God probably needs re-direction. Our pity for the Christian baekjeong, too. They all made a choice which has brought them joy. Can we comprehend it?

It is easy to take an offering to a baekjeong, then go on clueless about what we have done. And what we have left un-done. The informed among us will linger with the baekjeong awhile. Listen. Feel. Learn the wisdom of all ages. And eventually choose to become lowly ourselves.

For only the baekjeong in spirit will ever see the Kingdom of God. Only the low-class in heart will inherit the earth. And they will wonder for ever, why?

So the next time someone asks me, "Were you born in a barn?" perhaps I will say, "No, I never had that honor, but I wish I could have been..." That ought to start a conversation.

Look for Bob Faulkner's home page on http://sermonaudio.com There you will find a combination of love for the Scriptures and a desire for North Korean believers to have their needs met. There are nearly 300 blogs, ovber 200 Bible teaching MP3's, lists of resources, NK picture albums, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together! Contact me any time at diakonos3@gmail.com

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Would love to fellowship with believers who respond.

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