Today, I want to play myth buster.  I’m aware of a myth that basically says that if you follow Jesus, he will bless you in such a way that life will be comfortable, easy, and convenient.   It is certainly true that he will bless you, but not in that way!

Recall that Caesar Augustus had issued a decree that everyone had to travel to their home towns to register for a census.  Mary and Joseph got caught up in that and had to travel to Bethlehem.  Picking up the story as Luke recorded it:  “[Joseph] went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.”

Having to travel while expecting a child was not very comfortable or convenient.  Giving birth away from home (and family) was not very comfortable or convenient.  Not having a good guest room in which to stay was not very comfortable or convenient.  They didn’t have a nice baby blanket or even a crib.  That wasn’t very comfortable or convenient, either.  Mary and Joseph were flexible and resourceful and made due by wrapping the baby with strips of cloth and laying him in a feeding trough. 

As followers of Christ, I don’t think we should expect things to be any different for us.  We shouldn’t expect everything to be comfortable and convenient.   We shouldn’t be discouraged when everything doesn’t fall smoothly into place. The truth is, following Jesus will often mean life will become very inconvenient and out of our comfort zone!  Like Mary and Joseph, we should be flexible and resourceful and obediently move forward.