Each Christmas season, we stand before traditional symbols related to the birth of Jesus Christ. The star or the angel on the top of the Christmas tree, the nativity scene with Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, some barn animals, maybe the Magi and an angel. Some see the nativity scene and are angered; they seek to make sure that it is not seen in any public place. Some see the nativity scene, give it a short glance, and move on to the next Christmas decoration in the aisle. To this group, the nativity is irrelevant; it may be a myth or a tradition, but it holds no significance to their lives. There are those, however, who take the nativity scene as a visual reminder of the birth of new hope to humanity.
What do I mean about your worldview?
The shortest definition I came across is that a worldview is the total subset of answers to life’s most important questions about God, ultimate reality (material or immaterial),
knowledge and truth (relative or objective; accessible by intellect or just the senses), ethics ( what is a good life? How do we live it?), the nature of man ( physical or spiritual, free-willed or determined).
In other words, a worldview becomes the lens through which we make sense of our existence and its relation to others, reality, and God.
What does the nativity scene stand for?
God in a manger
The statue of the baby Jesus points to a powerful yet loving personal God who chose to step down his position and take the form of a human being. It is a proclamation that not only does God exist but also that He is here among us and He cares.
It is also a reminder that when God moves, He does not always call upon His archangels and war chariots sort of speak. He moves in quietness and humility only notable by those who await the fulfilment of His faithful promise. He has no trouble to be placed among barn animals.
The Magi
Coming from the far east and are more than just the three we see in the scene. The Magi remind us that God has intended to extend his saving grace to all the nations of the earth. They have seen the light (literally in the sky) and figuratively ( Isiah 9:2).
Their presence shames the majority of the religious Jewish experts who were inattentive to the signs of the arrival of Jesus Christ despite their possession of many specific and clear prophecies of his birth. In contrast, the Magi moved with relatively little evidence seeking the birth of the new king. It is a reminder that the abundance of evidence or the lack thereof is not the most significant factor in finding the truth. Rather, it is the attitude of watchfulness and humility to follow the evidence where it leads.
The Shepherds
Like the Magi, the shepherds are not the kind of people to share the news of the Messiah nor were the open fields of Bethlehem the location you expect that such news is to be declared.
God broke so many boundaries here including education, race, and class. He is neither against the educated or the rich like the Magi nor is he ashamed to have His name called upon the poor, the peasant, or the simple like the shepherds.
The invitation of the shepherds challenges today’s social hierarchical systems of human value. On the one hand, we call for equality and human dignity. On the other hand, we want to associate ourselves with cool celebrities, make connections with the rich and those who can help advance us in our endeavors. God has no interest in these systems. He affirms it by choosing the lowly and the rejected.
Mary
The bible tells us that Mary was obedient to the Lord’s will when told that she was going to have a baby and that baby was to be called “holy, the son of God”. Mary, in contrast to the priest Zechariah, trusted the revelation and the possibility of miracles. Zechariah despite being raised in a very religious community, saturated with stories of the supernatural intervention of God, had difficulty believing that a miracle is about to take place in his life. Who in his right mind believes that a woman who is barren and of age can conceive?
Joseph
We do not know a lot about Joseph in the gospels. We do know that Joseph was willing to risk his reputation to allow God’s plan to take their course in Mary’s life. In a way, he had to suspend his passion and plan to take part in this turn of events in the life of his beloved Mary. He, too, was willing to believe in the supernatural revelation that Mary was pregnant, not by natural means, but by a miracle and through the power of the Holy Spirit Himself. Finally, Joseph relied on God’s guidance, wisdom, and protection of his family. He was ready to leave his country for a pagan one, stay there, and return as per God's guidance. Just imagine the authorities with all their powers, seeking to kill your child because they believe that he is a national threat!
I tried my best to give a quick overview of worldviews as a concept and the meaning behind the nativity scene. Now, how do you react to it?
The “Does anyone still believe this stuff anymore?” kind, AKA, "the Skeptic"
If you reject the existence of God, you may not deny the historicity of Jesus’ birth. But, your worldview will not allow you to believe that incarnation or any other miracles are possible. You will not be able to accept that angels exist (though you might think that aliens exist) and act as messengers for God. To you, any supernatural threads must have been weaved into the fabric of the nativity story.
Sometimes people think that the rejection of the supernatural is a sign of superior intellect, psychological maturity, or higher education. I believe they are mistaken. Rejection of the supernatural is most likely rising from a naturalistic worldview, a view that reduces all that exists to matter, things that can be known by the senses only.
The “Nah, who cares?!” kind
Some may have compartmentalized their traditions, faith, and reason. The nativity might be just a nice childhood memory, or not. But, it has no relevance to your life now. The irony is that this scene is nothing less than a reminder of how God makes himself available for our daily living. He is with us.
New Hope
Christians who take Christmas symbols significantly do so because the birth of Jesus remains relevant to their lives, not the one day of the year, but every day of their lives. The virgin supernatural birth of Jesus, his fulfillment of prophecies, and more importantly the birth of the new hope for salvation point to a faithful God who is there and who cares for us.