Properties
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- 642 When the children look at the picture of the Nativity, one of the first thoughts that will come to them will be, “What a queer place it was for Jesus to be born in!” No furniture but straw, scarcely any other lodgers but that queer-looking little ass, and no interested people around but those rude minstrels accompanied by a hungry, wolfish dog. Certainly the place was by no means elegant, and not what we should exactly call comfortable. Very likely there are a great many worse places in our own town than this mule shed in Bethlehem, and children have to be born in little dirty rooms in New York because their parents are so poor
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644 that this is the best thing that can be done for them. But Jesus was the Son of God, and God owns everything, and can do what He likes; and if He loved this little Son of His, why could He not have gotten ready a neater, nicer place for Him to commence life in? This is a rather difficult question, but perhaps there is something about it that by a little thinking we can partly understand, perhaps wholly understand.
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646 We read in the second chapter of Luke that Mary and Joseph came to Bethlehem at a time when everybody was on the move, roads thronged, hotels crowded. If ever in our travels we have come to a little country town where there happened to be considerable going on, we can easily appreciate the situation of Mary and Joseph. We have stepped up to the hotel clerk, and said, “Can I have a room?” “Have you telegraphed?” he will answer back. “No.” “Well, then, there is no room for you. We are full. Accommodations outside, but none in
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650 the house.” Joseph had not telegraphed; no preparation made; no room arranged. The Child Jesus had to fare like other people, and take His own chances.
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652 If a wealthy gentleman were to send a little son of his to a distant town, he would not only arrange to have some one go with him, but would write on in advance to secure suitable quarters, and have them made ready and comfortable against the little fellow’s arrival. When God sent His Son Jesus into the world, He gave Him good Joseph and loving Mary to take care of Him, to be sure, and go along with Him, but made no other provision for Him. Jesus had to fare just as any other boy would have had to who had no God for his father. As already said, He had to take His chances, and stand on a level with the rest of the people. No favoritism shown Him. If He had been old enough He might have thought when He was put to bed in the manger: “This is a funny place to put the great God’s little Son. Why do they not turn the
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