Christmas holiday calls us to follow little child

The setting for Jesus’ birth is mind-boggling. The one who’s called “king of kings” and “Lord of lords” in Christmas carols sleeps in a feeding trough. His companions are animals — and his first visitors are shepherds, who ranked pretty low on the social ladder.

It’s tempting to conclude God’s real plan for the “Prince of Peace” fizzled — and this was the backup.

Surely God wanted Jesus to make his worldly debut in an elegant setting — where he’d be swaddled in silken cloth and placed tenderly in a bed.

And surely the Son of God deserved a fine entourage of servants, who’d place a jeweled crown upon his tiny head.

But make no mistake — the simple scene for this wondrous birth was no accident. After all, this baby became a man who turned the world upside down — by saying rich people must struggle to get through the pearly gates. This point came as a tremendous shock to his followers — and still astonishes folks today.

Some Christians ignore the humble circumstances of Christ’s birth and his warnings about serving two masters — God and wealth. In fact, they believe God rewards the righteous with sleek cars, fat bank accounts and sumptuous mansions.

But instead of claiming holiness comes from power and possessions, Jesus’ road map to heaven included serving wounded strangers and down-and-out prisoners. For him, meekness was a virtue — which is why he promised the downtrodden in this life that they’d become stars in the next.

Little wonder that his parables feature forgotten people — the lepers, the blind and the widows. And in his teachings, the keys to God’s kingdom are held by the humblest, meekest and poorest of all — a little child.

As he said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”

It’s so easy during this season to tie ourselves into knots, as we prowl through crowds hunting perfect presents. Parking lots at the local stuff-mart are full — and tempers flare as checkout lines grow longer.

But Christmas beckons us to follow the footsteps of children, who enter the world with nothing — and are fully trusting and innocent. For them, the world is a miraculous place, where empty Christmas boxes can become cars — and a simple cookie is a feast. Jesus was born in humble circumstances to show us God doesn’t dwell in the high and mighty — but in the meek and lowly, the tender and mild, and the poorest folks of all.

To find the kingdom, we must clear a path in our hearts, which means throwing out stuff that holds us back — whether it’s doubt and fear, or greed and lust.

It helps to recall the startling promises the prophet Isaiah made: “The wolf will live with the lamb; the leopard will lie down with the baby goat; the calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion.”

These images might clash with human reason, but they sing in the heart.

It’s also startling for adults to read, “A little child shall lead them,” since we picture ourselves as being in charge. But in the kingdom of heaven, the weak are powerful, and the poor are rich.

And if we trust the baby born on that silent night long ago, he will lead us to peace, joy and glimpses of heaven — and change our hearts forever.