What kind of King is born in a cattle shed?

In today’s world monarchy and royalty seems to be out of fashion and yet the birth of Prince George on 22nd July 2013 in London attracted much fanfare from across the world. Commemorative coins were issued, 21 gun salutes were given, church bells rung across London and of-course media was there to cover it all. It was really a royal affair!

The royal status has slowly shifted from monarchs to celebrities of music and movie industries. These are the new kings and queens. We name them King of pop and etc. Thus every birth of a celebrity child is accompanied by paparazzi clamouring for the first pictures. According to reports, some of the recent celebrity babies’ first photographs were sold for millions of dollars. The world is willing to pay millions to watch a baby’s face!

Babies are precious irrespective of their birth in rich or poor families. Parents want to welcome their babies in the best possible way that is why we try to look for the best doctor, hospitals, baby food and etc. One can easily imagine the arrangements made for the birth of today’s celeb babies.

Yet interestingly, one of the most iconic births in human history happened in a cattle shed, due to the lack of proper accommodation​. Yes, the baby was delivered among cattle, wrapped in strips of cloth and laid on a manger. I’m talking about Jesus , also known as the King of kings and the Prince of peace. Yet his birth was unlike any other royal birth.

This King’s throne​ was loaned from cattle

Heroes always seem to make a grand entry with much fanfare and yet we find the Bible presenting the Saviour of Humanity as someone who had “no crib for a bed”. After his birth, Jesus was laid on a manger. The word manger is described by the Cambridge English dictionary as “an open box from which horses and cattle feed”.

We complain about hard pillows and bed while our Lord willingly accepted a manger made for cattle.

Kings have their thrones​ made of precious metals and stones​ yet here we have a King whose first bed is taken on loan from cattle. In fact, that’s not all, apart from three wise men from the east, the only other fanfare visitors were shepherds. Not the best audience some of us may say. Infact many of us will dismiss him as unimportant.

What kind of king is this, who chooses to be born among cattle?

He is the kind of King who loves his people, serves them and is willing to sacrifice himself and his luxuries for them. Bible introduces Jesus as eternal and divine in John chapter 1. Yet he became human, lived among us as an equal. He didn’t have to become human but he chose to come and give us the message of hope personally.

His message is simple. Humanity is in danger. We are suffering the ill effects of a broken relationship with God. Through faith in Jesus we have an opportunity to be reconciled and renewed. He warned that this new way will be tough but he showed the way and promised his help throughout.

He took the initiative and showed his sincere love and concern by being born in a common carpenter’s family. His humble and vulnerable birth point to his unselfish way. He sought nothing for himself not even a proper or the most basic of birth. He didn’t seek attention of the rich and famous but became a source of joy to the poor and suffering.

Jesus - the creator of this universe - was okay with becoming a helpless baby to provide us a new way of life. How does that compare with the many battles of power we fight?

Jesus didn’t seem to mind the manger, in fact it reveals something interesting about Jesus. He doesn’t seek perfect conditions. He doesn’t seek perfect people as well, Mary and Joseph gave what they could and he made the most out of it. Similarly, He does not mind our imperfections, but when we give our dirty lives to him, he makes it precious by His presence. Just like the manger. All this simply because of his love for us!

In one way we all are mangers, he can choose to say no to us all. Yet he is willing to come in our lives and transform our mangers into his abode. None of us deserve him, but he is willing to come, he has already come and is knocking on the door of your heart.

The eternal King

It’s mind-boggling to think of the circumstances of Jesus' birth and compare it with any birth taking place in our families. I am not even comparing it with celeb births! Yet, this birthday is celebrated even now and with much fervour. No other royalty’s birth is remembered as universally as Jesus’. No other birthday is as joyfully celebrated as Jesus’. No other King is remembered as lovingly as Jesus. Kings came and went, dynasties have been lost to oblivion and yet Jesus' name remains. So as we prepare for Christmas, let us take time to know more about the birthday boy — Jesus Christ, the eternal King.

Shashank S. Rawat hails from the city of Joy and works with the Union of Evangelical Students of India.