Signs and Wonders

After years of living together, I have concluded that my brain has a mind of its own. It likes to meander down unknown pathways, often mesmerized in its own little world. It makes for cheap entertainment. Most days it is okay, except for those occasions when it forgets to take me along. A few days ago it took a stroll while I was working on a step ladder. As a consequence my left foot tried to step all the way down to the ground from the third rung. Let me just say that concrete is an unforgiving safety net. Fortunately, most of my mind’s trips do not end with me staring up from the ground.

Today as I spent quiet time in prayer and contemplation armed with a full cup of freshly roasted coffee, the phrase “signs and wonders” came to mind. Who knows what playground my mind had visited during the night to call up that topic?!  I have often thought those two words made for a good pair. I know that “wonder” in this case is intended to be synonymous with awe-inspiring or miraculous, but I like the pair because anytime we see a sign we are apt to wonder what it means. For me, wonder always accompanies a sign.

With the cue to think about signs, my mind immediately dated itself by recalling a song from my teenage years to play on my internal jukebox: Signs, by the Five Man Electrical Band. I know next to nothing about the band or any of their other music but that song apparently made its mark on me. You can hear a nice version of it along with a collection of signs that make you wonder about their intended message here.

If you aren’t familiar with the song, here is the refrain that has a way of sticking with me: Sign, sign, everywhere a sign. Blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind. Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign? Signs are always trying to convey something. Often they come across as downright bossy. In this tune, I hear a song about values, boundaries, stereotypes, and to some degree, an effort by all parties involved to define where God is and isn’t to be found. It is a tiny bit of social protest set to music.

Though it may not be obvious I wonder if in that way the song Signs is similar to Away in a Manger or O Holy Night or whatever your Christmas hymn of choice might be. In some ways, they may have been a bit of social protest too. Though the holiday is typically described as a sign of God’s love for the world, Jesus’ birth is also a moment of a judgement rendered that the status quo was not sufficient, change is dawning on the world, and God has a different plan in mind. Love is breaking into the picture, but even so its message is simultaneously encouraging and demanding.

Reading the signs can be tricky business. Some years ago on the way home I noticed a sign advertising a Farmer’s Market. Rather than being situated in an easily accessible, open-air setting, it was located in a strip mall along a busy highway. I thought it was an odd setting for a farmer’s market but who am I to judge someone else’s vision for success unless asked to do so? “Great,” I thought. “Next time I’m in this area I’ll stop and check out their produce.” I shared this information with my wife and a couple of weeks later when we were in the mood for fresh sweet corn, we hopped in the car and returned to the mall. We turned into the parking lot and rolled up to the front door. At this close range, through the front window we could see the store was wall to wall with picture frames. My brain, again with a mind of its own, had had a dyslexic moment and read “Framer’s Market” as “Farmer’s Market.” Similar in spelling, but definitely different. They had a very nice selection of frame styles, sizes, and colors, but not a single one was made of macaroni or could pass as a vegetable. Sometimes it is difficult to make sense of a sign even when it spells itself out for you. Now, we can’t pass a farmer’s market without Judi asking if I want to shop for some picture frames.

For a few different reasons I have been thinking about signs. In part this is because I have been reading a book called Apocalypse Then, the author of which I met on a recent vacation; but mostly it is because for me it is virtually impossible to take the Christmas story seriously without giving pause to consider its various signs and how they are interpreted. For starters, there is the practice of looking toward various Old Testament prophets as heralds of the original nativity event. That they looked forward to a deliverer in eschatological and apocalyptic passages is clear; whether they would have said, if asked, that they were referring specifically to Jesus we cannot know; later interpretations obviously made the choice that they were.

Whatever one may think about the prophets’ messages and intentions, the New Testament’s identification of an infant as a redeemer is bold. Concepts about God’s deliverance to this point typically involved military conquests, an activity that is not usually a strong suit for an infant no matter how temperamental the child may be! In any case, how does an infant fit into God’s plan?

Pointing to a manger scene rather than a royal palace as a birth place is another opportunity to pause and wonder. What would it mean for a deliverer to come from humble origins rather than the upper crust where power often begets power even if the successor is not suited to the task? How is this sign to be interpreted?

The sky was busy that first Christmas night as well, contributing other signs to the story. A shining star was compelling enough that travelers from the east took a road trip. Who does that?! With no Uber app or even GPS to help coordinate their navigation, they interpreted a sign as one that required movement on their part. It takes a lot to motivate me to go out again once I have come home for the day! I am not sure what it would take for me to embark on an adventure of that magnitude! 

Meanwhile shepherds had tickets to an outdoor concert that was apparently one for the ages. What would one make of singing angels in the night sky in the first place, even if they asked nothing of you? It is not a common sight, right? In this case, the angels invited them to witness the event and spread the news. Even daring to suggest that the status quo during Rome’s regime was not sufficient was risky business, as Herod’s orders to execute young boys under the age two who were born in Bethlehem illustrates. Asking people to broadcast the news may be asking them to put themselves at risk.

In a story many of us have heard read for years, various incidents are perceived as indicators of Divine activity and purpose. A sign presented. A message conveyed. A response requested. Despite the clear attempt at communication questions often remain.

What is the message conveyed by the sign presented in the birth of Jesus? I think perhaps its most important message is found in the gift of a baby. If nothing else, birth is about new life. If you have ever been around families blessed with a newborn, you have likely seen the effect the child has on the group. Even the grumpiest of the bunch can have difficulty resisting the lifted spirits that new life brings. I remember when my youngest sister’s first child was born. She was the first grandchild in our immediate family. For several months, my wife and I thought the group was going to kiss her little face off. The abundant joy shared within the family was visible. Regardless of what was happening in the room, when the baby entered all attention was directed there and the mood changed. Time was made to visit. Offers were made to assist. Goodwill was received from many directions. That experience doubled a few weeks later when another sister had her first child.

That memory illustrates for me how new life can be transformative. At Christmas, I see a similar reaction annually. Something about the remembrance and celebration of the Christ child’s birth ignites a warm, cheery season that shows humanity’s capacity for good when love prevails, even in spite of the ongoing dysfunctions that can dog family and social gatherings for a lifetime. The newborn of Christmas redirects our attention, moods lift, and transformation occurs. Even if it is only momentary, it illustrates what can be, inspiring hope that lingers and motivates beyond the season itself.

As my mind takes a few turns to wonder about signs that come with Christmas each year, I conclude that prophecy, shepherds, and nativity scenes are fine components in the story. They contribute to the season, giving it tradition and richness to be sure. But for me, the sign that gives hope for humankind is the glimpse of love and transformation that is inspired by the celebration of Jesus’ birth. In my book, that is a sign worth heeding!