Wrapped Inside Cloth

Long pieces of cloth, wey dem wrap round and round one small body. One manger wey dem put straw inside. Nothing special. And yet heaven imself go point to dis two tins and talk: look, na di sign be dis.

Bethlehem, for night. Mary just born her first pikin, far from home, inside house wey people full, where space no dey for di guest room. Joseph dey beside her. Luke no tell us about any midwife, no grandmama wey dey run up and down, no special room for baby. Na just one young mama, one newborn baby boy, and di tins wey every mama for dat land go reach for. Luke mention two of dem. And e mention dem two times, because dem go matter pass wetin anybody for dat room fit know.

First, di cloth. Luke talk say Mary wrap am with swaddling cloth. To swaddle na wetin parents wey care dey do. Dem go take long pieces of cloth wrap di baby well, hand and leg straight and warm. E dey keep di baby safe and calm, and e dey show say people love di child and dey take care of am. Then, di manger. Mary lay her son inside di place where dem dey put food for animals, di box or hole where dem dey put di animals grass. Dem fit make am with stone, or wood, or clay. Na di safest and softest place wey she fit find. Swaddling cloth and manger. Na only dat.

Now di story move go outside di town, to shepherds wey dey watch dia sheep for di hills. One angel appear and tell dem say dem don born Saviour for di town of David, Christ di Lord. And then di angel show dem how to find am. Dis go be sign for una: una go find di baby wey dem wrap with swaddling cloth, wey dey lie down inside manger. Think am well. Sign from heaven, and no be bush wey dey burn or pillar of fire. Na baby inside pieces of cloth, wey dey lie down where animals dey chop.

Plenty babies for Bethlehem go dey wrapped like dat. But how many go dey lie down inside manger? Na dat one be di clue. Di shepherds go know am because na im dey for di low place. And something kind dey inside dat sign. Dem no dey welcome shepherds for palace. Dem fit fear to waka enter big house. But manger? Shepherds sabi manger well well. Di sign tell dem: dis Saviour no hide from people like you. E dey for place where you go feel at home.

For di ancient world, to swaddle baby na sign of care. Di prophet Ezekiel describe one baby wey nobody want, wey dem no wash, no rub salt, and no wrap at all, as picture of person wey dem abandon completely. And for one old Jewish book wey dem dey call di Wisdom of Solomon, di great King Solomon talk say dem wrap am too with swaddling cloth when e be baby, because no king get another kind beginning. Jesus start life di way every child dey start: small, and e need care.

You go find di cloth and di manger for Luke chapter two, verse seven and twelve. Ordinary signs for di most wonderful birth. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. Which ordinary tins around you for dis Christmas fit remind you say God come near?