Reverence or Reflection of greed?

It's that time of year again! The Christmas Season! How is it that one day has turned into a national-if not world- season? Why do we say Christmas Season? Season's Greetings? Instead of Merry Christmas, it's Season's Greetings anymore. Greetings for the WHOLE season? Like, From Thanksgiving through Valentine's Day? Because, Cupid's Day is technically the last of this long string of holidays, and yet, after New Year's you rarely hear the phrase Season's Greetings. If Season's Greetings really means Merry Christmas, but in code, why not just out and out say it?

Ok. NOT what I got on here to blab about today. It just struck me as odd.

What has really been bothering me is this. Follow me for a moment, even if you're shaking your head in confusion, or disagreement.

Why, in today's world, if we have an abbreviated Nativity scene, are the three wise men the usual choices to be chosen, instead of the shepherds? In abbreviated scenes, by that I mean ones that choose to only feature Mary, Joseph, the Christ Infant, and a few other cameos, is it the norm to see the wise men take these positions, instead of the shepherds? If there is anything else present, it's usually a sheep or a donkey. Rarely is it the shepherds.

Here's what bothers me. The shepherds were told that night, along with the three wise men. The shepherds came from a few towns over. They were there that night. The wise men, on the other hand, had to come from the 'far' east, most likely China, Siberia, Korea, etc. Somewhere on the eastern part of that continent. They did not arrive for likely 2 years or so. The Christ family was not in that stable anymore. It is likely that they were back home in Nazareth, or settled in another town as a family with a toddler by the time the wise men arrived bearing their gold, frankincense and myrrh. They followed the star, yes, but it took them MUCH longer to arrive.

And yet, in today's world, the shepherds are left out, because, they were mere shepherds. The lowest on the totem pole in societies rankings, and yet, the Lord in Heaven saw fit to notify them first above all other people that the new King had arrived.

Here is my thought on this matter. It is something that bothers me every time I look at a nativity scene, including the two that I have in my home.

It is because, in today's world, the Wise Men, the Kings, brought presents. The shepherds had nothing to bring but themselves and their smelly robes and their staffs and their praises to the new King of Kings. They had no earthly gifts for Him. They merely saw the angel, heard the heavens sing, and were honored to be at the scene of the birth.

In today's world, that doesn't suffice. In today's world, the Wise Men take the front row on the guest list, because they brought earthly gifts along with their praises. They brought STUFF as it were. This world, today, is so preoccupied with the STUFF of Christmas, that even the nativity makers, the ones who would sell their wares to the Christian households in the world wishing to show symbols of our love for the Christ child's birthday, even the manufacturers, want to make it known that STUFF is most important in today's world. Forget about those lowly shepherds. Who were they? It had to be an accident (in today's minds) that they were notified in the first place. Who would want them to be there?

It was a miraculous birth. It was sung in the heavens and on earth that the Lord had Arrived! He was here! In human form. His mother knew when he was born that he was here to die. That was his purpose the moment the heavenly Father decided to send him here.

Who better to witness the birth? Who better to truly appreciate an infant who would grow into a man who would die for their sins, than the 'lowest' of the societal scale, those who had nothing to lose, and were the humblest of the humble, those blessed shepherds.

I truly wish you a Merry Christmas!
Remember the reason we celebrate this Holy Day!