Pause for a moment

The Rt Rev Dr Shaw Paterson encourages readers to stop and look with new eyes at the nativity story.

WE have had a nativity scene outside the front of the church for a number of years.

I think it is wonderful to see young children bringing adults of all ages up the path to the look at the traditional figures set out within a stable. Our stable differs from the one in Bethlehem all those years ago as it has a perspex window and LED lighting to allow as many people as possible to see Jesus inside.

Why do we want as many as possible to see Jesus? It is a simple answer. Think for a moment. How many of us hurry past nativity scenes in a whole myriad of places because we are too busy, we are in a rush, we’ve seen it before… yes, yes, yes, Mary and Joseph, and a baby with a sheep or two and a cow for special effect, and of course the donkey… but isn’t that indicative of how the world treats the message of Christmas?

There is an attitude we adopt of knowing the story. God sent Jesus into our world and there were angels and wise men but we are busy and we are in a rush. We have seen it so many times before that the reality is we forget (or at least, put to the back of our minds) why Jesus came into the world and so, in a sense, he is forgotten.

A number of years ago, someone broke into our nativity scene late on Christmas Day or in the early hours of Boxing Day. Not much by way of damage but interestingly Mary was found in someone’s garden. Joseph was in the park and one of the wise men was standing in the middle of the road.

The animals were in the main safe and well, but what struck me was that no-one touched Jesus. Every year I think back and wonder why? Why was Jesus left alone? Was it respect? Was it ‘we can mess about but maybe better not mess with God’s Son?’ Or maybe, it’s a reflection of society, many of whom have forgotten all about Jesus and leave him alone. They see no need for a saviour to have been born, or for a light of the world, or for God to be with them.

A few years ago, I was visiting a Primary 1 class to conduct a mock baptism – they had been talking about babies as part of their lessons and were looking at traditions. A real baby had been organised for the occasion but had taken ill. So, there I was with what seemed like hundreds of wee tots looking for something to use in place of a baby. Would a doll do? Yes of course; perfect. They couldn’t find one. That was until somebody had the bright idea of going to the school’s nativity scene and taking the doll out of the manger. I talked them through what happens and assigned them parts, and out of the corner of my eye I noticed a young girl giving the baby a kiss. What struck me was that it took a five-year-old to acknowledge that the doll represented a real child. The baby Jesus was real. He was born, just as the Old Testament prophecies predicted. The story, like our manger scene, is very familiar: Luke chapter 1: The angel said to her: “Don’t be afraid, Mary; God has been gracious to you. You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.” And then in Chapter 2: “… and while they were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to have her baby. She gave birth to her first son, wrapped him in cloths and laid him in a manger - there was no room for them to stay in the inn.”

This Christmas, as you dash from one thing to another, please pause for a moment to look in the manger within a nativity scene and reflect on Christ coming into our world.

Wishing you a super Christmas and all you hope for in the New Year.

The Rt Rev Dr Shaw Paterson is Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 2024/25 and minister of Strathaven: Trinity.