Getting it Backwards: Making Jesus into our Image

I shared in my previous post about how the nativity I bought was missing baby Jesus. In an attempt to fill the empty manger, I began trying to construct a baby Jesus to place in my nativity set so that it would be complete. No matter what I tried, I just couldn’t seem to craft Jesus in the correct light. As I wrestled with the banana leaves, I was convicted by how often we try and make Jesus into an image we desire for him.

We want to discount his wrathful side and zoom in on his love; we ignore his holiness when we place too much emphasis on his mercy. God is complex and transcends our finite understanding. Any attempt we make to define who he is falls short in much the same way my feeble attempts to craft a baby Jesus were lacking. We are made in His image, not vice versa.

After many failed attempts, I decided to leave the manger empty as a reminder — a reminder that Christmas truly isn’t Christmas without Christ AND a reminder that he is no longer here but he has risen, just as he said. It is my prayer that we will grow in the knowledge and truth of who Jesus truly is, and as a result, we will grow to reflect his image more each day.

Merry Christmas!