One of my favorite collections are my various Nativity scenes and sets. Two different nations from Africa, three from Latin America, and various artisans from Europe and the US are represented in my collection. They are each precious and unique.
The children's set you see above is the newest addition to my collection. My mother-in-law gave it to me last year for Christmas. So a few weeks ago, we first opened the box. To our surprise a key member of the Nativity is missing. She is no where to be found.
There is no Mary, the Mother of God!
Instead, we have a Nativity scene with twin shepherds! :) Oops. Mind you this set was made in China. Makers knew that there needed to be 10 figurines in the box. Not very particular on which ten figures though.
Mary has gone missing. Perhaps the crying kid was too much for her. Or the extra shepherd is the stand-in babysitter.
It is hard, if not impossible, to have a Nativity without Mary. She models for us obedience and trust in God's amazing plan. She continues in her plans to marry Joseph and create a family together. Mary must birth Jesus after all! Ultimately, she will nurture his young faith and witness to him our Awesome God even as she watches her son die for the world's freedom from sin, stupid, and death.
My missing Mary has been a reminder of Mary's significance within God's plan. Maybe even a reminder of how without each one of us... God's work is incomplete.
Each one of us matters.
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