Mary, Joseph, perhaps the Shepherds? Animals, Angels, or even Baby Jesus?

At Sunday night’s 6:20pm worship, after our advisor’s AMAZING NATIVITY DANCE, we did an interactive prayers of the people. In our prayers of the people, we gave each youth a paper doll cut out. Since it was our last 6:20pm worship service before the new year, we invited the youth to enter the nativity story and to begin to think about Christmas. We’ve spent a good bit of time in the past few weeks talking about Advent as a season of mystery and preparation for the birth of Christ. We asked the youth to think about which character in the story of the birth of Christ they most identify! They then wrote about how they were able to relate to that character and their prayer on the paper doll cut out and came forward to drop it in the manger as a sign of offering the prayer to Jesus.

So, as Christmas rapidly approaches, just who is it you identify with in this AMAZING and PROFOUND story of the birth of Christ?

Maybe it’s Mary!
Perhaps you feel the responsibilities piled on high!? You are just trying to trust God that you are making the right and best decisions possible.

Maybe you identify with Joseph!
You’ve made some commitment in your life and you are doing your best to remain faithful to it and see it through. But, you are worried.

Or is it the scruffy shepherds?
Maybe there is some situation in your life that is absolutely frightening and terrifying you. You are trying so hard not to make rash decisions and show that you are afraid as you move forward in life toward possibly exciting things.

Perhaps you get the angels!
There is this joyous thing you want to share! You are just so excited and happy about this wondrous thing God is doing in your life. You want everyone to know about what’s going on!

By chance do you identify with the animals?
Maybe you are terribly amazed at what is going on around you. You’re just watching and sharing all that you have with others (even the “manger” you eat out of). You are simply excited to have some attention and company in your life.

Or maybe you even identify with baby Jesus.
In other words, you know there is this great destiny you have to fulfill but you feel helpless (like a little baby) as you struggle through just how you figure things out.