Baby Jesus

USA Today

My dad always reads the nativity part of Luke for every Christmas. It's a tradition that was started by my Mom's Dad, whom I don't remember because he died when I was 1.5.

While he was reading it this Christmas, it struck me how absolutely awkward the situation was in which Jesus was born. No one seemed ready for it: Mary was awkwardly pregnant without a dude, Joseph seemed to be cuckolded and had to go back home for taxes (which no one likes). And then, they couldn't even find a place to stay in town - probably because they were late. The situation sounds exactly like something that I would get pissed at my friends or high schoolers I work with about - like, why didn't you get reservations at the Inn? Isn't there some way that you can explain to people about why Mary's pregnant? Why the hell is Mary pregnant?

On the flip side - God being in control of the universe - in some way He wanted it to happen like this. He likes it when things happen like this. I don't get it. Somehow it showcases God's glory more when the situation is awkward and painful. This seems completely counterintuitive to me. I always get so worried and freaked out when my friends or kids I work with get in bad situations like that. I lose all hope and want to concentrate on getting them to not make the situation any worse. I don't know what the answer is.