Where is the beef?

"Where is the beef?"
I remember that old commercial on TV with a couple older adults looking at a hamburger and wondering where the meat was on the burger. It was a popular catch phase back in the early 80's and hooked my dad into going to Wendy's for their burgers. He even ended up investing in Wendy's restaurant stock at one time.

That commercial catch phase has made a come back with a new TV commercial where a guy finds an old tee shirt in a retro clothing shop and purchases it. He wears the shirt which says: "where's the beef" on it as he takes a walk down the street. People walk past him pointing to the shirt and smiling as they reflect back and remember when they first saw that old commercial on TV.

That is like Christmas in some ways. We pull out the decorations for a season and as we decorate our homes. We remember back to the day and place we purchased the bulb that is in our hand as we hang it on the tree. We place the wreath on the door and think of Uncle Joe who had given us that wreath years before. We pull out the stockings and a tear forms in our eye as we remember a loved one who is not longer with us. We dig through boxes that have been stored up in the rafters or out in the garage since last Christmas and think to ourselves, "where's the...." as we try to recall our packing from a year ago.

We set up our manger scene in our homes. Joseph has his place. Mary has special spot beside the manger. Baby Jesus goes in the middle and the wisemen to one side and the shepherds to the other.  We squeeze in a cow and a donkey to set the mood of the animals being in the manger with Jesus. As we step back, look and remember days gone by where we or our children we a part of the Christmas play at church. Silent night. Mary and Joesph must travel to Bethlehem for the census. The star that guided. The Angels appearance, a heavenly chorus. We picture Mary on her donkey...

The only problem is Where is the donkey...in God's word. It is a great picture in our minds but no where in scripture does it record that May and Joseph had a donkey or rode a donkey to Bethlehem. The fact is they were very poor and it was unlikely they could afford a donkey. When Jesus is taken to the temple soon after his birth this young family can only afford the most basic of offerings: two turtle doves (Luke 2:24). That did not matter to this couple. Mary was a humbled mother and Joesph and proud but likely nervous step-father to Jesus. They were happy and did not need more than what they had. They knew God was with them. We too are happy that Jesus has come in such a awesome way to save us. He loves us so much that when we see that love we don't have to as where is the donkey? The little things do not matter. The Christmas message is bigger than the little things we like to have but do not have to hold on too. Jesus is bigger than our problems and our sin too. That inspires us to shout out "THERE IS JESUS" in the manger, in our hearts!  That is what we hold on too this and every Christmas!