Did the baby Jesus cry?

Decorating my home for Christmas, I carefully placed the baby Jesus in the manger. Legend says he never cried, but I doubt that. I know he was the God-child, but he was also a human child, and human children cry. 

A lot. 

When my daughter was a baby, she wasn’t the most patient infant. She’d go from sleeping to screaming in a matter of seconds. What began as a whimper would soon become a cry, which would escalate into a full-blown wail, complete with red face, kicking feet, and thrashing arms. The whole neighborhood knew when she was hungry. 

As time passed, she learned she didn't have to scream and thrash to let us know she had a need. She didn't panic when her first whimper went unattended. Best of all, she learned that we loved her and delighted in caring for her. She learned to trust us. 

Sometimes I act like my daughter. 

When life throws me a curve ball, I can go from a whimper to an all out cry in less than a minute. Fear and panic rise up in me, and I am overwhelmed. I feel abandoned and alone. I begin to doubt that God will hear and answer my cry. As my fear escalates, my imagination goes crazy, my heart races, and I become more and more distraught. Before long I can become hopeless—an emotional and spiritual wreck. 

Psalm 131:2-3 is God's word to me in times of fear and need. "Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, Like a weaned child with his mother; Like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, hope in the LORD From this time forth and forever." 

Psalm 46:10 echoes the sentiment: "Be still and know that I am God." 

In times of trouble, I must take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, make my need known to the Father, and be still. I must rest in the fact that he loves me, cares about my needs, and is trustworthy. I must choose not to listen to the voice of the enemy that causes my heart to fear. I must choose instead to trust in the God who cared enough to die for me. 

I don’t know if Jesus cried as a baby, but I suspect he did. When his little tummy was empty or his diaper was wet, he might have let out a whimper or two. One thing I know for certain, though, is that he never cried because he doubted his Father’s ability or desire to care for him.

May we all be more like the baby Jesus this holiday season.

"He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8:32).

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