There’s Room for Everyone in the Manger Scene

There’s Room for Everyone in the Manger Scene

by Donna Mumma

“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold wise men from the East came to Jerusalem”

(Matthew 2:1, NKJV).

 

I adore nativity scenes. I own four sets I display every Christmas. They range from a single sculpture depicting Joseph, Mary, and Jesus to an elegant collection of a dozen figurines, including the three wise men.

I always loved their part of the Christmas story.

As an adult, I began to hear the grumbles from folks that the wise men shouldn’t be placed in a manger scene. Their reasoning claimed the three travelers came years after Jesus was born, not when he was the infant swaddled in the manger.

I believe these men followed God’s call just the same as the shepherds, Joseph, and Mary. Yes, it took them a few years to get where they were going, but they remained faithful and finished the journey. Each year, I unwrap the nativity characters and position the three wise men and their camels alongside the others.

There are times we may feel we don’t belong in the writing community. We might not be published yet. We may have entered contests without taking home an award. Or maybe we’ve only published one book that has sold far less than we’d hoped.

When we attend writers conferences, we see others who seem to set the standards for our business. Their talent shines brightly. They have an extensive network of friends that includes all the big names in the industry. They win the prestigious awards and accolades.

They seem like the cool kids in school, and we have no place at their lunch table.

But we do.

Just like the magi, God has given us a call and a desire to seek Jesus and worship him. And like those wise men, we need to dedicate however much time and effort it takes to follow our star. The star he placed in the sky for us. When we’ve reached the right time and place, we can then present our writing as a gift to him.

You belong in the manger scene. And the writing community.

Dear Lord, thank you for the gift of our savior. Help us remember you first loved us and welcome us into your presence as we work to use our writing gifts to your glory. Amen.

 

Donna Mumma writes award-winning fiction and non-fiction seasoned with a sense of adventure and suspense. An avid believer in education, she holds a M.Ed. in Elementary Education. She serves as a chapter mentor for Word Weavers International. A native Floridian, Donna lives in St. Petersburg, Florida with her husband. She is the mom of two college boys and an energetic collie named Duke. Connect with her at www.donnamumma.me, Instagram @mumma704, Twitter@DonnaMumma1 and Facebook.