Sunbonnet Soliloquy

By Jewell Ellen Smith

The Christmas Search

“The Christmas Search” is the title of a story most unusual.

What is strange about it is that although it is an ancient and wondrous narrative, it has never been finished. Each reader is obliged to figure out the ending for himself. And this, not just one time but again and again each December as he prepares to celebrate Christmas.

Deciding on and working out the end of the story is never easy. The reader literally becomes one of 16 or 18 characters. He gets into the thick of a plot that involves a Roman emperor, common people of Judea, flocks of sheep, hosts of angels, a wicked king, scribes, rich and wise stargazers, and the Babe of Bethlehem.

Two holy men, one named Luke, the other Matthew, wrote out the major portion of the story some 2,000 years ago. Perhaps it would be well to read again how they introduced the characters one by one as they told of the birth of the Christ Child. (See Luke 2 and Matthew 2 in the Bible.)

Luke and Matthew both show that all the characters -- except the infant Christ Child -- had something in common. They were all searching for something! All different. But all were looking for a specific thing.

Caesar Augustus, the emperor in Rome, who as you know from your history books was the great nephew of Julius Caesar, issued a decree that a census should be taken. He was trying to find out exactly how many subjects were under his rule so that he could better collect taxes. Caesar Augustus was searching for more money with which to run the Roman Empire.

When the census edict was read in the village of Nazareth, a carpenter by the name of Joseph and his young wife Mary had to travel some 90 miles down to a town in Judea called Bethlehem, for they were both descended from David the King and were therefore required to register in the City of David, that is, Bethlehem.

As soon as they arrived, Joseph began searching for lodging. He was desperate to find a place for Mary. (Luke explains that she was “great with child.”)

Luke does not mention the Bethlehem innkeeper by name. But surely there was such a man. His inn was already filled when Joseph inquired about lodging. So arrangements were made for the couple from Nazareth to stay in a stable. If the innkeeper charged Joseph for the stable -- and chances are he did -- the thing the innkeeper was searching for was more money!

Mary’s search was simple. She wanted only to find a place for her Child to sleep. Luke’s account of this is brief. Beautiful. “And so it was, that while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manager.”

Then comes Luke’s section of the Christmas story that goes: “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.”

The shepherds of Judea were concerned for the safety of their sheep. They were looking for wild animals that could steal into the sheep folds.

Luke continues: “...and, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them and the shepherds were sore afraid.... And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men...Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.’”

The angels were searching for human beings to whom they could bring the “good tidings of great joy.” They even told the shepherds that they would find the Holy Child “wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”

The minute the angels disappeared the shepherds hurried into Bethlehem to search for the Babe.

Meantime, according to the portion of the story that Matthew wrote, there were magi or wisemen in the East -- whether it was Persia, Arabia, Mesopotamia, or all three he doesn’t say -- who journeyed to Jerusalem looking for a new king of the Jews.

These magi, also known as stargazers, went straight to the palace of King Herod in Jerusalem and asked “Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and are come to worship him.”

Herod, now said to have been one of the most cruel, ruthless men who ever lived or ruled anywhere, called in his scribes and after searching the ancient Scriptures of the Jews they found the prophecy which said that “a governor that shall rule my people Israel” would be born in Bethlehem.

Even as the wisemen went on down to Bethlehem, Herod decreed that all the children in Bethlehem “and in all the coasts thereof from two years old and under” should be slain. Herod was seeking a way to maintain his grasp on his kingdom.

The search of the wise men was successful. The shepherds also found what they were looking for. And Mary had a place to lay her sleeping infant.

True, the cradle in the stable was only a trough, or manger, filled with hay for the cattle to eat. But this hay could well have been there by divine design, to be a symbol. For was not this Child to be known as “the Lamb of God?” A newborn lamb would sleep on straw, or hay.

So, most of the characters Luke and Matthew describe found what they were searching for.

Each Advent season we -- each one of us in all Christendom -- make a Christmas search!

We look for something. But what?

If we are not careful, we get into such a rush and such a commotion that we lose sight of what we’re looking for in Christmas.

Each person must decide for himself what he really hopes to find in the anniversary of the birth of the Babe who slept on the hay.

It is my wish that you find the peace and good will of which the angels sang. That you see anew the “Saviour, which is Christ the Lord,” much as the shepherds found him in the City of David. And, that you recognize Him as your King, as did the magi from the East, who worshipped Him and gave Him gifts.

If these things you can find, your version of “The Christmas Search” will have a perfect ending.

Published December 1977. Click your browser’s “Back” button to return.