Life is so messy. I once met with a counselor at our church to discuss a moral issue that had become political and confused me as a Christian. I asked her what “side” our church was on. She sighed and said, “Sara…all I can say is…we choose to live in the mess.”

The Mess is not a comfortable place. But the more my husband and I prayed about this wisdom, searched Scripture, and observed Jesus’ life in the gospels…darn it, if that’s not exactly what we found.

Literally…Jesus, Emmanuel, “God With Us”…lived in The Mess.

Perfect heavenly home thrown aside for a messy stable, messy manger, messy world.

Dirt, poop, sweat, smell, effort.

He lived in The Mess to make us clean. Walked in the chaos to bring us order.

This Christmas, will you show your gratitude by living in the mess? Relationships are messy. Our marriages are messy. World…messy.

But I can think of no greater act to follow than that of Jesus Christ, who chose to live in The Mess for me.

“For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.”  I Peter 2:21