Did she miss it?

I love to light all the candles and christmas lights in the house, play some soft music, and read the Christmas story from Luke chapter 2.  This year, my mind has reflected not on just the people God has recorded in this story, but of ones that He didn't write down.  People that would have been there, but, for some reason, God chose not to mention them.

Think about it for a moment. Can you imagine that you and your husband own a small, modest inn in the town of Bethlehem.  Think of it like a Bed and Breakfast of today.  You work hard helping to make sure each guest is properly taken care of.  You provide a simple, yet filling meal for the weary travelers as they come to Bethlehem to purchase a lamb for the sacrifice.  You make sure each one has a blanket, a pillow and a warm place to sleep. Business is okay, predictable, and you have a modest income.

Then, Ceaser sends out a decree for everyone to return to the place of their birth to be taxed.  All of a sudden, many people must travel to get to their destination.  They are fearful, annoyed, but obedient to the government that has become their ruler.  As the wife of the InnKeeper, you quickly have many more guests in your Inn.  Your workload increases as there are many mouths to feed and travelers to make comfortable.  Overnight you become a successful family.  Your business booms and even though you are exhausted, things are good.

After a day tending to your guests in your very full Inn, you hear a knock on the door.  Another traveler needing a place.  Your Inn is full.  You've done your part.  Yet, when you open the door and see a weary man with a very pregnant wife your heart feels.....

I wonder how she felt?  If there was a wife to an Inn Keeper in the Christmas Story, I wonder what her thoughts were?  Could she have missed it?  The Messiah, the one they had been waiting for, was about to arrive.  Did she even know?

Perhaps as she opened the door she felt like she had done her part, but realized they had a little space left with the animals.  They could have that "room" for halfprice.    Maybe she sent them out there, and didn't give them a second thought.  She had done enough and at least provided somewhere for them to stay!! Maybe she missed it.

Or maybe it didn't really work that way at all.  Maybe as she opened the door and saw Mary and Joseph, she had compassion on them.  Yes, her Inn was full, but she did offer the place where they kept the animals. Maybe she rushed out to the only place she had.  She might have shooed the animals to another place and swept out the only room available.  As she apologized for the place she was offering, she made it clean, comfortable and warm.  It wasn't much, but she gave it her all to make a place for this very pregnant young lady.  Who knows, but maybe as Joseph frantically searched for a woman to help in the delivery of the baby, maybe he called on the Inn Keeper's wife.  Maybe she was there as the Shephards came to worship Jesus.  And maybe, just maybe, she realized that this was the Messiah; The Savior of the World.  Maybe she didn't miss it.

As I think on this lady, I realize that this is just like us.  She was faced with the same choices that I face.  In a busy season with many things crowding my thoughts, I can feel like I've done enough.  I put up my nativity scene, and sing "Away in a Manger," Isn't that enough for this Christmas? Maybe I could miss the whole meaning of Christmas.

 Or I could remember the reason for this season.  I can take what I have, and give Jesus my all.  I can make Him my focus.  Maybe I won't miss it...