Symbol of Christmas number 1 for me.... the innkeeper.
The Bible doesn't tell us much about this man. Simply that there was no room in the inn for the couple. Now, first I want to think through the fact that this man has gone down in history as the man that offered only a BARN for the King of Kings to be born in... but think about this. Was this the first place Mary and Joseph had tried to stop? I doubt it. This was simply the only place that offered a second chance. In addition to that, for anyone that owns a business - if you think about it, the inkeeper did much more than was required of him. He couldn't have known what amazing event was about to happen that night. He only knew that his inn was already full. He couldn't take the other paying customers out of a room for this young couple. He had no more room.... that is all. He didn't necessarily have a bad attitude about it - he simply had a full inn... but the stable was empty. I am sure that Joseph presented the urgency of the matter to him, but how could he have completely understood that baby would be His Savior! So, the best he had..... was the fulfillment of prophecy in the Old Testament. How wonderful!!
Can you imagine the next morning, finding a stable full of shepherds that say that angels were there to tell them about this birth? He, like the lady with two cents later in Jesus' ministry - gave all he had to the Savior. He didn't have much to give - but he gave it.
And so, throughout history the innkeeper has had what I feel is a bit of a bad wrap, for having no room.... It was not his choice, he did at least offer the little that he had... and that one move fulfilled prophecy.
Anyone have any thoughts about the innkeeper? Are there times in your life in which you have also "played the role" of the innkeeper when dealing with Christ in your life?
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3 comments:
I love your idea of looking at the lives of different people in the Christmas story. Great post.
I love your idea of looking at the lives of different people in the Christmas story. Great post.
I am with Jessie. I love trying to take the stories of the Bible and remember that they were real people like you and me. Sometimes we get lost in thinking they are all stories. It is hard to believe that during the time of Jesus people went on as normal like you and me thinking nothing of the gloeious things going on around them. How many people do that now in this day and time. Passing churches left and right and going on status quo when Christ is all around us?
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