We recently learned that my eldest nephew also finds special joy in setting up the manger, so my mom saved the manger for both of us to set up at her house. Mindful to let him do most of the staging because he is younger and very eager, I gently unwrapped the figurines from their tissue paper and set them on the table for him.
With the last figurine unwrapped, I looked up to check Daniel's progress and noticed that all of the figurines were in a tightly woven circle around baby Jesus, facing inward toward the infant. I instinctively reached to turn them outward and spread them into a magazine-worthy display. Yet as my hand twitched to do so, I stopped.
Why did I feel the need to change it? There was nothing wrong with it. In fact, everything was right with it. It's not what we typically see when we look at mangers. But you know what? It should be. Just like my sweet, 4-year old nephew with his innocent faith, the characters stand in awe of baby Jesus. And it's how we should feel when receiving the gift of Jesus at Christmas: humbled and awestruck, hearts teeming with love, so pure and blessed.
Thank you, Daniel, for reminding Auntie Kelly to have a childlike faith! Love you, buddy!
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