Nearly every Christmas Eve, when we return
home from the candlelight carol service at church, I pop in our DVD of the 2006
movie, The Nativity Story. Like any Hollywood production of a biblical
story, this depiction of Christ’s birth comes with plenty for critics to hiss
at in terms of accuracy. Probably the most glaring is the visit of the wisemen
to the stable, arriving at the same time as the shepherds almost immediately
after his birth. Historians know the visit came many months later.
It doesn’t bother me, because the key
elements are all present (including Mary’s virginity and the angelic visits.) I
love the music and wasn’t surprised to learn the score was made into an album
and nominated for a Dove award. The way the wisemen are portrayed offers bits
of comic relief. The plots of Herod and the Romans’ taxation practices give a
glimpse into history and the oppression under which the Judeans lived.
Elizabeth’s delivery of John the Baptist provides realistic insight into what
life might have been like. The scenery, the costumes, the animals—all of it
works together to bring you much more than your standard Sunday School lesson.
Though I know how it ends, I’m always
brought to tears at the tender moment when Mary’s baby arrives and the
expressions on his parents’ faces say it all. Which brings me to what I love
best.
Instead of the impossibly sweet and serene
Madonna usually portrayed when an actor is brave enough to tackle the role of
Mary, we see someone more human. Keisha Castle-Hughes (a New Zealander who was
sixteen at the time) played Mary as a headstrong, thoughtful adolescent
transformed by an unimaginable responsibility. I think she demonstrates a
beautiful balance of surrender to God’s plan, confident independence, and
strength of character.
On the arduous journey from Nazareth to
Bethlehem, Mary comes to recognize and appreciate Joseph’s integrity—and
therein lies my second-favorite thing. We know little from the Bible about
Joseph, other than that he was a “devout man.” This rendition shows several
examples of Joseph being generous, kind, and considerate. In her positive
review of the movie, Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post concluded “…[perhaps] Jesus
became Who He was not only because He was the Son of God, but because He was raised
by a good man.”
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| Oscar Isaac as Joseph |
The Bible tells us Joseph was a carpenter,
and the assumption is Jesus learned this trade from him. My heart has a soft
spot for carpenters because my grandfather was one. He always smelled of
sawdust—one of the happiest smells I know, because it reminds me of him and
because it generally means some sort of progress is in the works.
I wish we knew more about Joseph. Wouldn’t
he be a huge encouragement to fathers? Think about the self-sacrifice involved
in accepting as your own a child you did not father and then giving him all the
love, protection, guidance, and care you’d give your own. Add the fact that
this child was like no other before or since—the son of God himself. A little
daunting, wouldn’t you say?
Watch the movie if you can. Reflect on the
good example set by Joseph. And if you have men of real integrity in your life,
men with servants’ hearts and courageous spirits, be grateful. Let them know
they’re appreciated.
Merry Christmas!
