St. Francis of Assisi found the perfect way to dramatize the Christmas Story—the story of how the Light overcame the Darkness by becoming flesh and dwelling among us. (John 1:5,14). He gave us the Nativity Scene.

His Vision of the Nativity is simple. A tiny baby. A loving mother. A faithful husband. A homeless family. A humble stable. Lowly shepherds. Lordly kings. Bleating sheep. Singing angels.

Yet his Vision of the Nativity is profound. God is with us, even when we are poor and homeless, even when we find ourselves in “humbling places.” The lowliest family is blessed. Poor people worship God. Rich people worship God. Nature worships God. Heaven worships God.

His Vision of the Nativity is profoundly simple.

Yet, his Vision of the Nativity gives Joy and Peace to all Humanity in the Way of Jesus.

His Vision of the Nativity is not a perfect representation of historical facts. For example, the Magi were not there on the night Jesus was born. (Matthew 2:1-2).

Yet, his Vision of the Nativity is a perfect representation of spiritual realities.

For example, meditate upon the humble stable.

The stable almost certainly didn’t look like most of the stables we see in Nativity Scenes—a stable from the English countryside around the time that the King James Version of the Bible was translated.

Our Christmas cards usually show a freestanding barn. But a “stable” in Bethlehem at the time Jesus was born was most probably an area inside their tiny houses. The family’s few animals were kept inside the house at night for care and safe-keeping.

When I visited the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, I went down into a rock crypt. This is the traditional site where Jesus was born. And it doesn’t look like a stable in England or part of someone’s tiny house where they kept their animals at night for care and safe-keeping.

This is one of those times when I think we can discern spiritual truths better because there are several plausible ways to represent the historical facts.

The spiritual reality is that we need to learn to be content regardless of what kind of a humbling “stable” we find ourselves in.

We may find ourselves in a humbling stable after we break up with a sweetheart, lover or spouse.

We may find ourselves in a humbling stable after we are arrested for driving while drunk.

We may find ourselves in a humbling stable after we lose our job or our investments.

We may find ourselves in a humbling stable after the love of our life dies.

We may find ourselves in a humbling stable after we become addicted to drugs, gambling or sex.

The list goes on and one. And, during our lifetime, we’ll probably find ourselves in more than one such humbling stable.

It may be our fault we’re in that humbling stable. It may not be our fault.

Regardless of the causes and the circumstances, we must learn to be content.

As Paul wrote: “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether living in plenty or in want.” (Philippians 4:11-12).

What was Paul’s secret to staying content? The LORD God gave him the strength!

Joseph and Mary learned this same lesson.

They knew what it was to be in need—to be homeless and dependent on the generous hospitality of others.

They knew what it was to have plenty—from the generous hospitality of Bethlehem and from the expensive gifts of the Magi.

What was their secret to staying content? The LORD God gave them the strength.

The LORD God assured them they had nothing to fear. His Spirit was with them! (Matthew 1:20-23; Luke 1:28,35; Exodus 33:12-17)

Mary said it best in her Song, the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55):

Mary’s soul glorified the LORD. Her spirit rejoiced in God her savior. Why? Because he had been mindful of her humble state. And because she was a servant of the LORD God.

She knew the Mighty One was doing great things for her. His strong arm was performing mighty deeds.

The LORD God was scattering those who are proud in their inmost thoughts, foolishly thinking they are great because they are wealthy and powerful. He was bringing these wicked rulers down from their thrones. He was sending the rich away empty.

Meanwhile, his strong arm was lifting up his humble servants such as Mary.

With his great mercy, he filled the hungry with good things.

With such faith in the Way of the LORD God, no wonder Joseph, Mary and Paul found the strength to be content in all circumstances.

And with such faith in the Way of the LORD God, we too can find the strength to be content in all circumstances—no matter which humbling stables we find ourselves in.

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To read more about St. Francis of Assisi, please read my blogs: “St. Francis of Assisi Made the Way of Jesus Great Again”, “St. Francis of Assisi’s Vision of the Nativity”, “The Nativity Scene: Baby Jesus”, “The Nativity Scene: Mary”, “The Nativity Scene: Joseph”, and “The Nativity Scene: The Homeless Family”, “The Nativity Scene: The Shepherds”, “The Nativity Scene: The Magi”, “The Nativity Scene: The Sheep”, and “The Nativity Scene: The Angels”; and by reading the chapter “Relying on the Lunar Module” in my book Visions of the Church (published with my book Visions of America), at pages 181-185.

The chapter about St. Francis of Assisi refers to the Lunar Module because I use the flawed—yet triumphant—flight of Apollo 13 as my narrative thread to give an overview of 2,000 years of Church history in only 60 pages.

To read more about the Nativity, please read my book Hoping in the LORD, at pages 12-46.

My thoughts about the “stable” in the Nativity being a part of a typical home and that the community of Bethlehem would have taken good care of their relatives, including a pregnant wife giving birth to her first child, are drawn from books of Dr. Rev. Kenneth E. Bailey. He spent decades teaching about Jesus in the Middle East, thereby learning to see the Gospels in the cultural context of the Middle East when Jesus taught and when the Gospels were written. I mention Dr. Bailey’s insights at relevant places in my books Hoping in the LORD and Lighting the World.