Struggling to find a place of belonging due to a lack of accessibility is not new to families affected by disability or Jesus. This is clear in the Christmas story. One of the most memorable parts of the story is there not being any guest room available to them. Luke 2:7 says:
She gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths & placed him in a manger because there was no guest room available for them.
This forced Mary and Joseph to adapt on the fly! No crib. No problem. An animal food trough will have to make do. Families affected by disability adapt out of necessity as did Mary and Joseph did. Resilience is a hallmark of both.
This whole narrative got me thinking… What if churches adapted with resilience so there was always room available? Room for ALL people! Would that not be a Christmas miracle?
Jesus was born in an unideal situation where accessibility was lacking so that he could bring accessibility to all. What kind of accessibility am I speaking of? Not only accessibility to being a part of the family of God but also a place of belonging in the local church! After all the local church is the representation of the Body of Christ on earth. As we celebrate that accessibility this season may our church’s accessibility speak that same message.
If you are wondering how your church can be more accessible this season look no further than our Church Campus Accessibility Checklist. There is still time! Adapt now with resilience and use this checklist to remove all physical accessibility issues on your campus.
Nativity image from churchofjesuschrist.org.
