God of Small Things - Day 22 - Advent 4

This is one of the simplest Nativity Sets I have seen, despite the lights and other accoutraments I've added to it, it is a carved relatively featureless set with figures who it can be hard to tell apart. Yet it is my favourite Nativity Scene carving and one which I have used every year since it was gifted to me by a colleague back in 1998. (please note - the Three Wise Persons are still on their journey to the stable, and the holy infant hasn't appeared quite yet!)

I see the Divine in this not just because of the simple reminder of a simple yet powerful story in our Christian story, but because the colleague who gifted it me was someone with whom I didn't have a great working relationship. We got on well personally, but it seem the dynamic of our situation was one where we didn't gel, despite good will on both our parts. Yet this generous gift, brought from Bethlehem and carved from olive wood from the Holy Land, reminds me that even in difficult situations there can be moments of grace and care. 

Thanks be to God for the little things which mean more than meets the eye. Even when what meets the eye is lovely in itself.