The Baby that Changed the World

Bret Harte wrote short stories about the Pacific West in the 1800s. They were stories about the people. He was born in New York and was drawn to California during the Gold Rush Days, but not for the gold. One of the stories he wrote is about a baby that changed everyone around it.

The place was Roaring Camp, a mining town in the Sierra Mountains. All the camps were crude and rustic, but this one was known for its brawling and fighting. It was filled with hard-working men who went down in the mines but drank, gambled and fought at night. In this camp, there was only one woman, Cherokee Sal, who was pregnant. Later she died giving birth to her baby.

At first, the men were in shock. What would they do with a baby? They wrapped her up in rags and put her in a box, but even these dirty miners knew that would not do; they sent a man west, and he found a hand-carved cradle. But still, she needed a blanket, so they sent another to Sacramento to find a silk blanket. Now they had their baby in a cradle with a silk blanket, but still, things didn’t seem right. That’s when they started looking around and noticed their surroundings. The floor was filthy, so they scrubbed it. The walls were dirty, so they cleaned them. The windows had a cruddy film, so they wiped them clean. But everything still looked bare, so they hung curtains.

When they went to work, they took their little baby in her cradle and silk blanket to the mineshaft entrance. But that wouldn’t do because everything was grimy. They put up an arbor and planted a garden. They brought up shiny rocks and placed them all around. Then they realized they themselves needed to wash and clean up. The general store did a booming business selling soap, shampoo, and razor blades. The baby changed everything.

Jesus gives meaning to our lives—all those who embrace and receive him. Everything changes around us when we invite him into our hearts. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, he changed everything. Starting with Mary and Joseph, who knew this was no ordinary child. The shepherds whom angels invited were changed. Simeon and Anna were changed on the day of Jesus’ dedication, and that was only the beginning. For two thousand years, everyone who embraces Jesus is changed.