Friday 13 December 2013

A Teachable Moment in the Nativity Scene.



How did the witch end up in the Crèche?

A Teachable Moments.

Our granddaughters were over for the weekend and as is their practice at Christmas they play with the crèche.  We were busy moving my mother and just being busy. 

After the girls left I was sitting with a cup of tea and as I set my teacup down on the table I was astounded to find a plastic witch hiding in with the manger animals.

How did she get there and what sinister purpose did she have?  Once my shock subsided I took another look at the scene and came to the conclusion that she was not hiding for malicious reasons, no she was hiding out of fear that she would be excluded from the miracle of Christ’s birth.
 I wondered how many people feel excluded from Christ’s birth because of a belief that Christians will not allow them into the manger stable to gaze upon the face of Jesus.

The New Testament is full of stories of people who believed themselves excluded from Godly life,  yet the risks they took to see Jesus or to touch the hem of his robe showed their faith to be stronger than his disciples.

As I picked up my teacup again I wondered about my own expression of spiritual faith – Does the reflected light of my faith reach into the corners of a room and shed warmth and love – is it inviting or does it pluck the witch out of the crèche and toss her into the toy box? -  I left the witch in the crèche.

The second teachable moment came the next time we saw the grandchildren.  I asked them the reason the witch was in the crèche.  Our 6 year old granddaughter, as outspoken self-assured 6 years will do, announced to do evil.  Her 8 year old sister quickly corrected that it was impossible to do evil to the Son of God.

Grandpa calmly added his voice to the discussion.  Jesus was also a human being and so could be tempted with evil, in fact Jesus was tempted by the Devil for 40 days and night in the desert.  The 6 year old corrects herself “I was just kidding” she wants to see the baby just like the Wise men did.

I am glad we found a witch in our crèche and that we were all open to exploring the challenge she presented to each of us.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

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