Hi ho, hi ho, It’s off to worship we go!

If you happen to be driving through Clifton, New Jersey, this month, swing by the municipal building and take a peek at the holiday display. You may notice a few extra wise guys making their way toward the manger!

I admit I was surprised the first time I saw Dopey, Grumpy, Doc, Sneezy, Bashful, Sleepy, and Happy sharing lawn space with the Lord. I suppose Sleeping Beauty might pass as an angel, but the other figures seem a bit out of place. To be fair, the holiday display also includes a menorah and many other symbols, both secular and religious. And the seven are usually some distance from the stable—though there was the year that Sneezy seemed to sneak a little close....

I chuckled the first time I passed by this corner, amused by the bold colorful hats and bearded faces. But the second time I mounted my high horse and wondered if my faith should share the stage with a fairy tale. After all, I thought, the Christ child is more than just a cartoon or storybook character! He’s not make-believe, he’s REAL! He’s not ordinary, he’s SPECIAL!

And that’s when it hit me. Jesus feels right at home with all the Dopeys, Sleepys, and Grumpys of our world. He chose a rocking horse over the high horse when he entered a world full of ordinary, needy, and sometimes difficult people like us! He did it to offer us a better story—a story we would never outgrow. It’s a story that sweeps us into the plot and gives new meaning to everything. And it’s the story we share with our kids every week.

So gather ‘round, Happy, Bashful, Sneezy, and Doc—there’s room at the manger for you! This is a tale you won’t want to miss.

P.S. I’m grateful to the mayor and city council members who help make Clifton a friendly place for everyone to live, work, and worship!