Does the birth of a baby bring sorrow or joy? Is a baby a threat or a delight? Does a positive pregnancy test make the mother feel troubled or does she have a deep sense of happiness? At Christmas, the coming of Christ Jesus as a baby brought all these reactions in the extreme.
The wise men and King Herod had opposite reactions to the birth of Jesus, which parallel people’s reactions to pregnancy and birth today.
At Christmastime we enjoy recalling colorful magi riding on camels, following a star from the east, and searching for the infant King of the Jews as reported in Matthew 2. They arrived in the Jewish capitol, Jerusalem, and announced their mission: worship the child King.
What was King Herod’s response when he heard about their search? He was troubled. As another king, Jesus might rival his power and authority. Herod had big plans which included building a grand palace, a massive temple, enduring fortresses. This baby posed a big threat to his plans.
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Girls and women today are often led to view babies as a threat to life’s goals and plans. Secular humanism places each of us on the throne of our own little universe where our lives become centered on carrying out our own dreams, and heaven help anyone who gets in our way. Dreams and goals can be helpful, but when they become gods, the true God is dethroned.
Being a servant is not highly esteemed. But why was that King born in a manger? He “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
Yet girls are not taught to serve others, but to serve themselves. They are taught to use birth control, but not self-control. They are taught to do whatever they want with their bodies and let others do whatever they want, but not to give a baby a temporary place to live within their bodies. They are not taught to bow the knee to the One who created their bodies.
Many American high schools have a Baby Project curriculum where students are issued a plastic doll that cries for its needs, but never laughs or smiles. Students only see the negative aspects of having a baby, but none of the joy. This teaches young people to see babies as a threat to their happiness and autonomy.
Herod also saw a baby as a threat. He gathered information and made plans to be rid of the baby. But the magi had the opposite reaction. They “rejoiced exceedingly with great joy” (Matthew 2:10).
Jesus was the ultimate gift to all mankind. In Him, “the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared,” along with “the grace of God… bringing salvation to all…” (Titus 3:4 and 2:11). The magi recognized this and worshiped.
Every baby is a gift to mankind. Unplanned parenthood is often considered devastating. But God has better plans than we can come up with ourselves.
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In order to keep his dominion, power and position Herod went to the violent extreme of murdering all the male babies in and around Bethlehem (Matthew 2:16). Today girls and women, married or single, in difficult circumstances or in prosperity, are encouraged to go to violent means to protect their own plans.
Herod’s view of the Baby Jesus is common to mankind. At times, we all see God’s gifts as terrible interruptions to our big plans. We all want to be little kings and we don’t want to accept the true King or allow Him to rule in our lives.
Jesus came as a baby – the Savior and a blessing to the whole world. In a smaller way all babies are a blessing to the whole world in their need for nurture and protection and in the joy and hope each one of them brings.
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