It is easy to get so caught up in the sentimentality and nostalgia of Christmas that we neglect the true reason we celebrate. We receive Christmas cards portraying a cute infant Jesus lying in a manger filled with straw. The Baby Jesus is pictured in the center with Mary and Joseph on one side, the shepherds and Magi on the other. We know this scene: animals are in the background, in the distance angels can be seen hovering, as a star shines brightly overhead. However, there is more to Advent and Christmas than celebrating the birth of a baby. Babies make no demands on anyone other than their parents or those caring for them. While we may enjoy holding babies, the moment they start fussing we quickly hand them back to their mother or father.

If we forever view Jesus as an infant we miss o…