Blog 2832 – 07.30.2023

The Friendly Beasts

Today’s Christmas poem is about the friendly beasts in the stable who welcomed our brother on that first Christmas over twenty centuries ago. Each is telling what they gave the baby Jesus. There is no mention of the three wise guys who came from the East with their expensive gifts. It is unlikely they arrived on the day of his birth for they followed his birthday star from a far.

There are more than a few things that we have gotten wrong about Christmas. The first one being that the baby Jesus was born on December 25. His birthday was more likely in the spring. No one knows the exact date or even the exact year for sure.

According to the Gospels one of the last times Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem on Psalm Sunday the crowd was loudly shouting Hosannas and some of the Jewish leaders asked him to silence the people and he said, “If the people were quieted the very rocks would cry out.”

Sometimes I wonder if we got really quiet if we could hear what the animals, the rocks, the trees, the wind, and the rain are trying to tell us today. The still small voice that speaks true is often drown out my the many loud and competing voices, all with an angle, an agenda of their own. Jesus again, “But you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.” Lies and half truths keep us bound and would have us always distracted and distrustful of others and even our own inner guidance system.

The friendly animals that greeted the baby Jesus were thrilled to give him their best gifts. For God so loved the world he gave. Today is the anniversary of my lovely and loving wife Linda’s birthday. The best gift we can always give is our love.

Your friend and fellow traveler,

David White

Happy Birthday, Linda Lee.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NEGVLUNe70P_oVxgEjV_5qpnIOUMTeZS/view?usp=drivesdk

The Friendly Beasts