A Christmas story, from another viewpoint

We know baby Jesus is the main focus of the Christmas story, but what about the supporting characters? Many children reenact this more than 2,000-year-old event as a celebration of his birth. Joseph stands silently, Mary smiles down at her baby, the shepherds kneel in the straw by the manger, the animals hang out around the fringe of the scene. Have you considered the story from their point of view?

The animals gave way to the people huddled in their shelter.

The sheepherders reeled, terrified from the sudden appearance of an angel talking to them, then multitudes singing in the sky. It was unreal, earth shaking, momentous. Could it be true? Their ancestors passed on the hope of a peacemaker for hundreds of years. They were nobodies, the lowest class. Why did they get this message in the sky? I would have been shocked. I would have doubted. I would have thought, “This is impossible.”

The intense sight propelled them from the fields into town. They didn’t give a thought of how they looked, how they smelled or who would watch their sheep. No one had experienced this before. As they looked at the baby in the stable, they felt an inner change. They left, dancing through Bethlehem, shouting out the news to everyone. Did they stay watchers of sheep? How did the people view them? They must have seen a change in their character.

Joseph, a carpenter, a man of honor and good character, stood by his wife-to-be in a time when they both could have been stoned to death, according to the laws. The only time we see him in the story is when an angel comes in a dream to tell him what was to come. When Joseph woke up, he did exactly what the angel commanded. He married Mary. He took her to his hometown, Bethlehem, to sign up for the census. He protected her and found shelter in a cave where animals were kept because the town’s inns were full. I imagine this kind, caring man was humiliated by not being able to give his wife better surroundings when she went into labor. Did he feel like a failure as a husband?

Mary, a young teenager, had a visit too. An angel entered the room and announced, “Good morning! You’re beautiful with God’s beauty. Beautiful inside and out! God be with you.” That would have shocked my socks off.

She was thoroughly shaken. I wonder if she screamed, cried out or shrank in fear. There must have been some kind of physical reaction because the angel said, “Mary you have nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you. You’ll become pregnant and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus.”

I would have denied, ran away, sought help. I can almost hear the angel’s voice quietly explaining the plan to her; who the baby was going to be, what he was going to do and what part she would play in his life. Her final response to the news was, “Yes, I see it all now. I’m the Lord’s maid, ready to serve. Let it be with me just as you say.”

Nine months must have seemed like forever to young Mary. It was good to have dependable Joseph supporting her, defending her, understanding the purpose for their lives. I would have had deep doubts about traveling the long distance during the time to deliver ... even greater doubts when it became apparent birthing would happen in a stinky animal shelter with no bed but straw. How many times did Mary complain about the circumstances or did she just accept it? The angel’s announcements to Mary and Joseph were affirmed by the sheepherders who came to see the baby. Every person in the story carried out their part and was full of joy because of this baby.

A baby changes everything but this baby changed the world. Each person in the story had a vital role. Human history’s time line is split in two by Jesus’ birth. Peace comes inside souls even now, because this promised baby grew into the most influential man who ever lived. His human life was cut short but his existence has no beginning or end. It is forever.

Chase Hoseley is a freelance writer and retired kindergarten teacher who lives in Clarkston. She can be reached at shoseley8@gmail.com.