Prompt: How do you picture the innkeeper in the Christmas story? What books, movies and/or nativity scenes contribute to that image?
Like the donkey, the Innkeeper doesn’t appear in Luke’s gospel. Still, I like to think of the Innkeeper as being like the boy nicknamed Pig-Pen in Charles Schulz’ animated classic “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”
Pig-Pen ― the only kid who can attract dust in a snowstorm ― plays the Innkeeper in the Peanuts characters’ Christmas pageant. When another kid complains about Pig-Pen’s appearance, Charlie Brown observes, “Don’t think of it as dust. Think of it as the soil of some past, great civilization. He may be carrying the soil of ancient Babylon!”
“Sort of makes you want to treat me with more respect, doesn’t it?” Pig-Pen adds. There’s no image of a hard-hearted Innkeeper in “A Charlie Brown Christmas” ― Pig-Pen joins the other children (and Snoopy) to celebrate, making music and dancing for joy.
For hundreds of years, painters have portrayed the Innkeeper as the “bad guy” who turned Jesus away. My childhood Sunday School lessons echoed that theme, reminding me not to follow the bad Innkeeper’s example.
But maybe the Innkeeper deserves more respect. Luke’s account doesn’t say why there was no room for Mary and Joseph. Perhaps, instead of being hard-hearted, the Innkeeper was simply realistic: “Look, Joseph, it’s late. Great-Auntie Rachael is asleep in the guest room. I can put you up in the stable. It’s a roof over your heads; there’s plenty of straw and some blankets. The animals won’t bother you. At least you’ll have some privacy. Mary can put the baby in the manger after it’s born.”
What an odd start for the earthly life of Savior of humankind! Yet this same humble location allowed the shepherds to focus their urgent search as they followed the Angel’s direction to find the newborn Messiah, the Lord. May we also find Him, even in the most unexpected places, this Christmas season. Let us sing and dance for joy.
Give Financially - You may give during the service on Sunday, use one of the QR codes above, give online here, or mail a check to the church office: 32111 Watergate Road, Westlake Village, CA 91361.
Contact the church staff with questions or concerns: info1@wpcwestlake.org or call 818.889.1491
