Eyes and Hearts Fixed on Jesus

As a newlywed in 1999, I received the ‘starter set’ of the Willow Tree Nativity.  Each year after, I added to it until it was complete. Then a new tradition began. Robert, my youngest, and I set it up together.  Or should I say, I would meticulously direct him where to place the pieces: wise man #1 next to Joseph; Joseph over Mary’s left shoulder, angled 30 degrees; then baby lambs - 2 on the base and 2 around the base of the manger.

This year, I was running behind on my Christmas to-do list, so I delegated some decoration tasks.  Since Robert has been my protege for several years, I felt confident that he would follow in my footsteps and set up the nativity perfectly - wise man, Joe, 30 degrees; lambs, half-on half-off.  The kid’s training would finally be put to the test.  I gave him the task and left to run some errands confident of the perfect placement upon my arrival. 

When I got home to my surprise I saw this…….

At first my brain couldn’t process what I was seeing, “Why are all their backs towards me?” Why is Joseph down with the wise man and shepherds?” When I realized it was set up wrong, annoyance washed over me. Then disbelief and disappointment kicked in - my protege had failed me!  All those years of training for naught.  Where did I go wrong!?  As my disappointment festered and the voice of “See, if you want something done right, do it yourself” grew louder, I let out a breath of frustration and reached forward to fix it. 

In the space of my breath leaving my body and my hand reaching for the wise man,

 I saw it……

I saw through the eyes of an innocent child.  I saw the beauty and the true meaning of this season.  They weren’t in their “perfect” positions or placed for perfection. Their backs were turned away from the outside world with their eyes and hearts fixed on Jesus.  

Robert got it. My 12-year-old son meticulously displayed the true meaning of the nativity.  All of his years of training were not lost.  

In that moment I learned to see through the eyes of a growing child, who had no Christmas shopping duties or to-do checklists to cloud his sight.  I realized I need to turn my back to it all sometimes and fix my eyes and heart on Jesus. He doesn’t need me to be perfect, fixed in the right place with the right people. He needs me to keep my attention on His love for me and others, on His teachings and His grace.

Now whenever I pass the nativity, I smile. I smile at the visible reminder to turn away from what the world is calling me to do and rest my focus on Jesus. When I asked Robert why he set it up that way, he just shrugged his shoulders and muttered, “I don’t know.”  But I think I do. Matthew 5:8 states, “Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God.”--they shall see God during this season, and not their to-do list.  

This Christmas and Epiphany season, don’t worry about being in the perfect place, having the perfect gift or if the gathering is just right. Turn your back on all of it.

Fix your eyes and heart on Jesus.