The Baby That Changed the World

Bret Harte wrote short stories about the Pacific West in the 1800s. They were stories about the people. He was born in New York and was drawn to California during the Gold Rush Days, but not for the gold. One of the stories he wrote is about a baby that changed everyone around it.

The place was Roaring Camp, a mining town in the Sierra Mountains. All the camps were crude and rustic, but this one was known for its brawling and fighting. It was filled with hard-working men who went down in the mines but drank, gambled and fought at night. In this camp, there was only one woman, Cherokee Sal, who was pregnant. Later she died giving birth to her baby.

At first, the men were in shock. What would they do with a baby? They wrapped her up in rags and put her in a box, but even these dirty miners knew that would not do; they sent a man west, and he found a hand-carved cradle. But still, she needed a blanket, so they sent another to Sacramento to find a silk blanket. Now they had their baby in a cradle with a silk blanket, but still, things didn’t seem right. That’s when they started looking around and noticed their surroundings. The floor was filthy, so they scrubbed it. The walls were dirty, so they cleaned them. The windows had a cruddy film, so they wiped them clean. But everything still looked bare, so they hung curtains.

When they went to work, they took their little baby in her cradle and silk blanket to the mineshaft entrance. But that wouldn’t do because everything was grimy. They put up an arbor and planted a garden. They brought up shiny rocks and placed them all around. Then they realized they themselves needed to wash and clean up. The general store did a booming business selling soap, shampoo, and razor blades. The baby changed everything.

Jesus gives meaning to our lives—all those who embrace and receive him. Everything changes around us when we invite him into our hearts. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, he changed everything. Starting with Mary and Joseph, who knew this was no ordinary child. The shepherds whom angels invited were changed. Simeon and Anna were changed on the day of Jesus’ dedication, and that was only the beginning. For two thousand years, everyone who embraces Jesus is changed.

The Scandal of Christmas

Joseph and Mary would be married within the year. Their families likely arranged the marriage, and everyone looked forward to the wedding. Then everything changed when Mary became pregnant and told an outrageous story of getting that way from God. The Gospel writer, Luke, tells us God had sent the angel Gabriel with a message for Mary: “Do not be afraid, you will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.” (Luke 1:28-31). Mary overcame her shock and asked the angel, “How is this possible since I am a virgin?” The angel told her the pregnancy would happen miraculously, and she would have a son, and he would be called the Son of God. Gabriel also told her that her older cousin, Elizabeth, was going to have a baby. Mary demonstrated remarkable maturity in her answer: “I am the Lord’s servant; may it be to me as you have said.”

Not only Joseph but his and her families likely rejected Mary, the story being too far-fetched to comprehend. All of this causes Joseph to consider divorcing her. Mary’s and Joseph’s parents probably reacted in anger and shame. In response, Mary felt the need to flee immediately to visit Elizabeth.

With Joseph on the verge of divorcing Mary, he needed direction and got it from God. Gabriel appeared to him and told him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife; the baby will be a boy and should be named Jesus. (Matt 1:20-24). What relief Mary and Joseph must have experienced after Joseph told her that the angel had confirmed her story to him, and he now believed her. They might not have had their families’ support, but they had each other and knew God was directing their lives. Now Joseph and Mary were married by a rabbi in the synagogue, probably without the company of any of their families. Two families that had looked forward to a wedding were confused and alienated.

Mary and Joseph travel the 80 miles to Bethlehem to register for the census, but that is where Isaiah the prophet says the Messiah would be born. There was no room for Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem, even though she was ready to give birth. Joseph would have gone to relatives first to seek a room from them with his very pregnant wife, but without success. Someone finally conceded them a place in the back of a house, probably a cave used as a stable for the animals.

Mary and Joseph are alone in Bethlehem in a stable, and Mary is ready to give birth. How alone they must have felt, but God was there, and though their accommodations were humble, angels watched over them as their son was born. They soon discovered that this event would be one of many unique events that Mary recorded in a special journal that she kept close to her heart.

The Rock

 

The nation of Israel journeyed from Egypt to Canaan but often found themselves lacking food and water. On one occasion, they became so thirsty as they trekked through the desert that they became extremely anxious. Eventually, they became infuriated with Moses and demanded he give them water to quench their incredible thirst. The critical point of the story is their inability to maintain self-control in tough times and trust God. God had already provided water when they had none and food when they were hungry. They could have prayed to him and believed he would meet their need again, but they didn’t.

They sinned in three ways making the story relevant because we, too, have trouble trusting God to meet our needs. First, they demanded God’s provision immediately (Ex 17:2). The sin here is demanding God’s provision—not asking for it or waiting for it, but insisting on it. They were telling God that he had to give them what they wanted or else. Secondly, they denied God’s security (Exodus 17:3). They assumed the worse and began to predict a calamitous end for all of them. They quickly concluded that God had abandoned them and left them to die. All this pointed to their lack of trust. It does not follow logic that God would have sent the plagues and opened the Red Sea just to let his people die of thirst. Thirdly, they doubted that God was actually with them (Exodus 17:7). If only they had remembered what God had done for them.

God’s answer was to provide water for the people in the middle of the desert (Ex 17:6). He gave instructions for Moses to strike a rock with his staff, and water would come out. God also promised to stand there before Moses at the rock. This was none other than an Old Testament theophany where Christ appeared in human history before the incarnation took place.

Moses moved toward the rock that God had pointed out. He is invigorated as he sees Christ standing near the rock. The Israelites trail Moses as he leads the thirsty Israelites to the rock. What an inspirational picture—let us lead this thirsty world to the rock, which is Christ Jesus. As Moses got closer to the rock, he could still hear the murmurings of the people behind him. However, his heart pounded with the assurance that God had spoken to him and that He would watch over his word to perform it. With every step, his faith grew stronger—just the sight of the rock inspired him and of the presence of the Lord of Hosts standing there. Moses lifted his rod high in the view of all the Elders of Israel and then struck the rock. Suddenly, as if a giant gate had been opened—water burst forth from that rock. The sight of the life-giving water running in the hot sand was almost more than the mind could grasp. The water gushed out with force and moved throughout the whole assembly of Israel, forming a beautiful flowing stream. I envision laughter and delight as thousands drank and played in that fresh water.