One Christmas, I came across a quote which said, ‘Are you part of the Inn Crowd, or are you one of the Stable few?’
It was a question about where we want to be, about what we want to be. We all want to feel accepted, to be assured that we are a person of worth. We don’t want to be turned away as Mary and Joseph were turned away by the inn keeper.
The quote above suggests two possible options for us.
The first option is to be one of the ‘in-crowd’. The ‘in-crowd’ can be seen as people trying to be trendy, doing whatever it takes to be accepted, a way of life dictated by what others think of us.
The other option is to seek more stable relationships, to make a commitment to be part of a caring community. A place where each person is valued and loved.
God could have given his son a glitzier birth in a royal palace with the in-crowd, but instead chose a humble stable, a place where he was surrounded by loving, caring people.
The story of the birth of Jesus reminds us what is important in life. It is not about social status, but about lasting relationships. It reminds us we need to be a loving community, a community that provides a place for those who have been turned away by the inn-keepers of this world.
© Graham Wilson 2021 All rights reserved.
Community of Christ Leeds House Church Website.
