If you have been reading my blog for any time at all, you know I LOVE Christmas! My husband won't let me decorate until after Thanksgiving, but the kids and I are starting the Christmas movies this weekend!
Not only do I love Christmas, but I also love anything that tells Bible stories in ways that will interest children and make us think about things from a different perspective. That's why I'm very excited about the new Christmas movie for 2017, The Star, from the producers of Heaven is for Real and Miracles from Heaven, releasing nationwide today from Sony Affirm!
The Star is the Nativity Story told from the point of view of the animals. It's amazing how much attention the animals have gotten over the years. There have been countless stories and songs about the cattle lowing around the manger and the humble donkey feeling so honored to carry the mother of Jesus. In truth, we don't know what animals, if any, were present. The animals have made their way into the Nativity Scenes and the story because, of course, Jesus was laid in a manger, which was a feeding trough for animals. This leads us to believe he was born in a stable or a cave where animals were kept in Bethlehem. I wonder, however, whether there were any animals living in the stable at the time of Jesus' birth, or if they were all out in the fields with shepherds at that time of year. It does not seem likely that Mary would have laid any newborn baby, least of all the Son of God, in a manger that was actively feeding animals. I certainly would not have allowed any animals to nibble straw from around the head of my baby the night he was born! Joseph and Mary were unlikely to have had enough money to buy a donkey, since when Jesus was born they sacrificed "a pair of doves or two young pigeons" for him at the temple, which was the lesser offering made by poor people who could not afford the sacrifice of lambs. The wise men may well have used camels to cross the desert, but they are not mentioned in the New Testament, and they did not arrive on the night Jesus was born. Including animals in the story, however, appeals to children and adds an element of whimsy to the story. If there were animals traveling with Joseph and Mary, the wise men and shepherds, or already in the stable itself, what would they have thought of the Savior of the World coming to earth in infant form? Would they have recognized their Creator? Would they have known something out of the ordinary was going on?
I am enthralled with this movie based on the trailer and behind-the-scenes clips, and I cannot wait to see it! I love movies about Bible stories that stay true to what actually happened, while speculating about different perspectives. I hope this movie will do so. I hope it treats the Nativity Story with the respect it deserves. I love the fact that the races of the animated characters appear to be true to the story. I hope this will become one of those beloved movies in our Christmas repertoire that we will enjoy together over and over again every year.
As a Featured Contributor of Flyby Promotions and now of the The Star Influencer Program, I received these trailers to view before the official release of the movie. I also received free Fandango tickets so that I can see the movie when it is released!
Enjoy this movie, send me your thoughts on it, and have a
Happy Thanksgiving!
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