Birth is messy. Life is messy. Jesus, was born into the messiness of a stable, laid in a manger surrounded by animals. He entered the world not as a king in a palace but as a baby—vulnerable, crying, needing care. Jesus was fully human, which means he cried, pooped, spit up, and relied entirely on the love and care of others to survive.
As you reflect on the word messy, consider the reality of what it means to be alive. To be human is to be vulnerable, to need others at every stage of life. Think about Mary and Joseph—young, likely scared, trying to figure out the needs of this tiny baby. They probably got it wrong sometimes, as all new parents do. But in the midst of their fumbling and figuring it out, love remained.
The Advent story is a celebration of messiness, vulnerability, and humanness. God didn’t enter the world through grandeur or perfection. God chose to enter through an unwed teenager, someone society overlooked, judged, or ignored. God was born in a stable, surrounded by the noise and smells of animals. In choosing this messy, imperfect entry into the world, God declared that holiness isn’t reserved for the pristine. The sacred is found in the everyday, in the unpolished, in the chaotic moments of life.
There is no place too messy for God to show up. No situation too broken, no heart too chaotic. This Christmas time reminds us that God meets us where we are—in the mess and vulnerability of our humanity and declares it holy.
Breath prayer:
Inhale: In my mess and vulnerability
Exhale: God declares it holy