Swept Away

1/8/2025

Written by: Margie Davis

I grew up on a farm in rural Frankfort, IN. We grew lots of corn and soybeans, but we also raised hogs. Hog farms come with a LOT of smells. Some days were worse than others depending on the direction of the wind. Whenever I complained to my dad about the stench, he would take a deep breath, grin and say, “Smells like money to me!” He knew that those hog smells meant he was providing for our family. I never did like the smell of manure, but I understood that it was just part of farm life when raising animals. Shoveling manure out of the barn was just a daily chore for my dad and brothers.

Rick and I watched the Christmas movie, “Mary” recently and it was VERY good! There was a scene that I couldn’t quit thinking about. Joseph and Mary, as most of us know, had to make a long journey to Bethlehem to register for the census and it was at the end of Mary’s pregnancy. They had finally made it to Bethlehem and had discovered that the stable would be their only option for lodging that night. The scene that is stuck in my head is one where Joseph is cleaning manure out of the stable before he brought Mary in. Why has that never really occurred to me? Yes, I know that Jesus was born in a place where animals lived and yes, I know his first bed was a feeding trough, but I never thought about the amount of manure there would have been, and that Joseph would need to clean that out before the Savior could be born there.

Can you imagine how long and difficult these past months had been for them? They must have had high expectations for the actual birth of this special baby! Surely there would be a little peace and comfort now for them now!

But it was never about them, was it? Joseph knew that the very best thing he could do for his Messiah-Son was to remove as much filth as possible before he came into this harsh world. He understood that no matter how tired he was, or how much he had endured since being chosen by God to be the Messiah’s earthly dad, this Savior baby deserved the best he was able to give him.

I know that I personally can give him better. The question is, what is the dung that I need to sweep away so he can finally and fully be born in me? How can I give Him my best?

I know that the grace Jesus brought with him to earth for us means we don’t HAVE to work harder or do more to belong to Him. Just as Joseph didn’t HAVE to remove the dung before Jesus was born, he just couldn’t imagine subjecting His Son, the future King, to filth that he was able to sweep away.

What can you sweep away this year? The Holy Spirit lives within us who are saved. That makes US God’s dwelling place just as much as that stable was for Jesus on the night He was born! It’s time to pick up the broom (or maybe a SHOVEL) and clean up!

When God “inhales” of us may He smell the fresh breeze of a truly changed life as we become a sweet aroma to Him in 2025!

2 Corinthians 2:12 “We are like a sweet smell to God. It is the smell of Christ we have. We have this sweet smell among the people who are saved and among those who are lost.”