The Christmas Boot

This past week I was given what I would hardly consider an early Christmas present. My doctor put me in an orthopedic boot for a stress fracture on my ankle. I’m not sure how it occurred, but for the past six weeks or so I’ve had pain in the ankle to the point of limping much of the time. An MRI showed a stress fracture that is actually on the verge of a full break. Thus, the boot.  

Along with the boot comes a whole lot of instructions and limitations. Of course, I haven’t been able to run. Nor, can I cycle. And now I need to stay off the foot as much as possible. If I do have to walk, it’s a slow clunky walk; it feels like it takes me forever to get anywhere. (If you know me, that in and of itself is quite frustrating!) Of course, this is the last thing I want during the Christmas season when there is so much to do: services to lead, shopping to get done, and places to be. In fact, when I woke up this morning I began thinking about all the limitations this boot has now placed on my life. 

It then occurred to me, that much of the message and mystery of Christmas is about limitations. The Bible tells us, when Jesus the eternal Son of God left the glories and splendor of heaven, he laid aside his divinity to take on our humanity. And that included the limitations with which we daily live our lives. 

Think of it. The One who knew all things had to learn as a child learns; he had to even be taught the scriptures. The One who could be everywhere at once was now bound to a particular time and location. The One who could do all things—even create the universe—was now given a hammer and nails in order to build that table or chair. Yes, Jesus did some tremendous miracles, but the gospel writers make it clear that all that he did was under the anointing of the Holy Spirit (just like us). Jesus himself said, “…the Son can do nothing by himself.” (John 5:19). 

The Apostle Paul wrote of, “Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;  rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:5-8 – NIV) 

Jesus took on all the limitations with which we live, even to the point of taking on a body that could die—and even be killed!  It’s an amazing and mysterious thought. Yet, it’s also at the heart of Christmas. For Christmas reminds us that there is a God in heaven who loved us so much that he was willing to take on the limitations of humanity in order to save us from our sins. 

No, I’m not all that happy about my orthopedic boot. But I’m going to do my best to consider it as my “Christmas boot”—or, at least as a reminder of what Christmas is really all about. 

Have a great day! 

- Pastor Tim Harris