A Baby Changes Everything

A Baby Changes Everything

A Brighter Shade of White

The Babe, the son of Mary

By Stephen L. Wilmeth

            I sat in the pickup in the rain day before yesterday watching a new born calf struggle with the wet and the cold of his new existence. He had been shoved into a world much more hostile than the security of his mama. His surroundings belied his perfect red coat as dazzling as the purified scriptural white according to the book of Daniel.

            His mother was there lending her support to his predicament. He had nursed and had received a good dose of her all important first milk, her added contribution to his start. He staggered around as the rain continued. There was no way he could be comfortable, but the little fellow had grit. He showed strength that comes only from the miracle of life within.

            My reaction was the same as always witnessing that scene. “God, please bless that baby … Bless all babies.”

            A Baby Changes Everything

            “Where do we go from here?”

            That is the question every parent asks with the first sight of the first child. There are few things that alter life more. Nothing is the same if the magnitude and the responsibility of the event is properly accepted. Life is forever changed and the truth is your centered life should never be the same. Your existence remains a priority, but a transitioned priority.

            That young cow with her first calf is no different. Her existence only became more complex as she now eats and provides for two living creatures. In the nature of this holy morning, the option is mine to dwell only upon the matters of which such shepherds guard and angels sing. Hence, this message is one of great hope. There is enough peril in our world, and, for a few hours, our gifts are not just reminders of incense, gold, and myrrh, but of salvation and actual hope on this earth.

            We see it in the eyes of every baby. We see it in the demonstration of strength that comes from within and the needed influences and caretaking from without.

            Indeed, a baby changes everything. It did then, and it does now.

            Joy, joy for Christ is born,

            the babe, the Son of Mary.

            It is time for Christians to rejoice and to resume our role as stewards of our surroundings. We, too, stand in a rain storm. As believers, we respect His creation, but, more importantly, we stand in awe of Him, our Creator. Truly ours is not a religion of violence, but a religion of peace and hope and we must begin to live and act in that manner.

             Hail, hail the Word made flesh,

             the Babe, the Son of Mary.

            On this very morning, this most holy of days, we have a choice and a renewed chance to make our way of life the standard from which the silent word is pleading. Nails and spears may pierce us too, but he bore a cross for our salvation and we must recognize that our stewardship is just and respectful of His monumental gift.

            It is time to be wise and brutally honest, and it took only a baby to remind us of that.

            Daniel lectured us that many shall be purified made white as fresh linen, and refined, but the wicked shall continue to do wickedly, and they shall not understand. It will be the wise that understand.

            It is time for a brighter shade of white.

            Stephen L. Wilmeth is a rancher from southern New Mexico. “Merry Christmas!”