Thursday, October 1, 2026
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Cherryville, NC (WNN) - The holiday season between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day is one of the most hectic and busy times of the year. There is food to buy and prepare, gifts to order or purchase, those gifts need to be wrapped, travel plans to be made, and just a plethora of things to accomplish. Christmas morning, kids who barely slept all night are wide awake and ready to open presents at 5 am. They dance around on their tiptoes, wishing mom and dad would hurry and drink their coffee so the presents can be opened. All those weeks and months of preparation, along with the meticulous wrapping, are gone in a matter of minutes. Paper and cardboard fly like tiny bits of confetti as Dad hopelessly walks around with a trash bag, trying to stay ahead of the paper destruction.
Then, suddenly, it’s over; done. All the anticipation and excitement are replaced by an empty void. Christmas is over, in an instant, it is again just another ordinary day. Somewhere in all that hustle and bustle might have been a mention of Jesus, but somehow there was just too much to get done to give much thought to the person that the holiday honors. Everyone was so busy that they had no room for Jesus, and the whole reason for Christmas was missed. Things were much the same in the first century, about six miles south of Jerusalem, in the Palestinian city of Bethlehem.
“And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:7 (NKJV). Anyone who has ever heard the Biblical account of the birth of Christ is very familiar with this passage of scripture. A decree had gone out from Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus for a census to be taken. This required families to return to their ancestral homes to be counted and taxed. The Roman Empire needed a lot of money to operate, and this was an easy way to gain that money.
Joseph was from the lineage of David, so his destination would have been Bethlehem. He was betrothed to a young lady named Mary. First-century Jewish weddings consisted of stages. The first stage was betrothal, which was a legal marriage. Yet, no consummation of the marriage would take place until after the groom either built or prepared a home for the couple, and then the second stage, called the home-taking ceremony, would follow. A brief backstory is that after the betrothal, Mary is with child, so Joseph thinks she has been unfaithful. In that era and culture, Joseph could have either stoned or divorced her; either way would have been a major scandal. She would be an outcast or put to death. He decides he loves her too much for her life to be taken or ruined, so he plans to quietly divorce her. In a dream, he is visited by an Angel who reassures him that Mary is telling him the truth, she is still a virgin, and the Holy Spirit conceived the baby. Then the decree goes out for the census.
Joseph and Mary travel approximately 90 miles to Bethlehem, which takes quite some time since families traveled in caravans by foot and donkey. By the time they reach Bethlehem, Mary is close to her due date. This tiny city had a normal population of between 300 and 1,000 residents, according to many scholars. Yet, with all descendants returning to their homeland, the area had swollen well into the thousands. We’ve all seen the children’s play where the mean innkeeper turns away a very pregnant Mary, and they are shocked that he could be so cruel. The reality is, there was no inn, nor innkeeper, as we think of today; it is more likely to be referring to a guest room in a private home. Family would not have turned her away even with the scandal of a pregnancy. The most likely scenario is that all the rooms in the home were already occupied.
There is some debate among early-century historians’ accounts and Biblical scholars as to whether Mary and Joseph stayed in a cave, a barn-like stable, or a lower-level room of the home where animals were kept at night. Early Church Fathers Justin Martyr (150 A.D.), Origen (250 A.D.), and Jerome (325 A.D.) wrote that Jesus was born in a cave, as people in Bethlehem were known to keep flocks in caves adjoining their homes. The overwhelming consensus is that it was more likely a separate portion of the house; thus, no room in the inn would have been referring to a guest room.
Jesus was a historical figure, so even if one doesn’t believe he is the son of God, he was a real person who was born in Bethlehem. Our calendars are based on his birth, and the Christian faith recognizes him as God’s son. What is truly shocking is not only that he was born into such a humble setting, but arguably the greatest gift ever given to humanity was missed due to being too busy to prepare a room for him. Families were busy preparing for the census and gathering extra food for visiting relatives, and lost in all the commotion was Jesus. He slipped quietly into the world, and almost no one noticed. Everyone was too occupied to welcome him; even though they had studied the prophecies of his birth, they missed it when it was fulfilled right in front of them.
In the present day, we still fail to make room for Jesus and miss out on seeing him during Christmas, due to our busyness as well. We have all these wonderful gadgets that are meant to give us more time, yet the more connected we are with email, cell phones, etc., the of our time is demanded by others. By always being connected and living our lives through screens, we miss out on many of the joys of the season. People lament that Christmas no longer seems like Christmas and wonder why.
Simply, we have allowed too many things to demand our attention and time. We are no longer physically present; we live virtually by staring at or through a screen. We become so busy preparing that we miss it when it arrives. We have no room in the inn due to busyness, materialism, emotional baggage, misaligned priorities, and technological distractions. Our lives are just so full that there is no longer any room. This can lead to ignoring the marginalized and even our families, too.
It’s no wonder this is the time of the year with the highest rates of suicide, especially among the elderly and those who live alone. Some people are homeless or overwhelmed with medical bills or debt, while others have suffered tragedy. In our busyness, we fail to notice them and their needs. Christmas is not the most wonderful time of the year for everyone. Some are in great pain or in great need, and we need to be aware of them. Wishing someone a Merry Christmas or happy holidays with a genuine smile might not seem like much, but it could be just what someone needs to know they are not forgotten. One person might not be able to change the world; however, they can change the world for one person.
Many people talk about having Christmas spirit. What does this mean? It is inspired by the Biblical story of the first Christmas. It encompasses putting others first through a spirit of kindness and generosity, and giving to those in need to embody the message that “it’s more blessed to give than to receive.” It also evokes a sense of nostalgia and tradition, including Christmas music, decorations, food, family gatherings, gifts, holiday movies, and church services. This year, try to slow down and reflect on the things that are truly important, such as family and those in need. Focus on the values held most dear and put aside some of the busyness. Make those memories and be present in the moment, or they could easily vanish in the flurry of shredded wrapping paper. Remember the love God showed to humanity through his son. So, this Christmas, will you make room in the inn?
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