The beginning of a series of contemporary parables.
He joined the church not because of his faith but because his wife had convinced him that it would be good to raise their children in a church. It would probably introduce them to some good values in their lives.
Then, one Christmas eve, as he listened to the familiar Christmas story, he suddenly was awakened to a new idea. As he listened to the story, he was suddenly aware of a new way of thinking about how God works. Mary was a pregnant, unwed teenager. She was probably judged harshly by her community. But Joseph, who had every right to judge her harshly and refuse to marry her, chose to continue the relationship.
He took her with him as he journeyed to an insignificant village in the third-rate colony of the mighty Roman empire. Joseph had not made arrangements for a room for them, and the village was crowded because of all the people coming to be registered. The only place available was because of an act of kindness by the innkeeper who allowed them to sleep in the haybarn where he fed his sheep.
Therefore, this unwed pregnant teenager gave birth in a manger of this small village in the unimportant colony of the Roman empire and the entire world was changed.
As he reflected on the story, this man vowed to view unimportant people differently as he continued to work in his world. Who knew what God might be up to?