Swaddling Clothes

Swaddling Clothes

Luke 2:7 - “and she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.” 

This phrase, “swaddle,” never meant a lot to me. This was just another word I would read over as I pursued the meat of the story until I had children of my own. Babies like to be swaddled. If you are unfamiliar with the technology of the swaddle, it is basically a baby straightjacket made with or by the blanket. This technique, when done correctly, completely immobilizes the child’s limbs while still allowing for breathing and blood flow. I believe babies like this because the whole time they are in the womb they are in close, confined quarters and this swaddle imitates what they were used to. 

Although swaddling is used at the beginning, it is not something that lasts forever. There were times when the swaddle was needed for the boys to fall asleep but as they grew they wanted to move their limbs, stretch out and the the swaddle now would prevent the sleep that once it provided. Even Jesus out grew the swaddle!

After experiencing new birth, most Christians are swaddled by certain beliefs like a tight blanket restricting our motion and movement. This “swaddling” is used to keep us safe and to help us rest and grow. The reality is though that even as a baby grows and the swaddling loosens, so our faith must continue to unfold. It must be examined and understood more deeply and differently. 

Truth is progressive in nature. It comes to us in seed form but must grow and expand. One great example of this is found in dealing with Lepers. In the Old Testament you were not to touch a leper or you would become unclean, really you were not suppose to go near them. In the New Testament however Jesus takes a very different approach, He sends out his disciples with the command to “cleanse” the leper. In other words go touch who you have been told your whole life not to. While the swaddling of this truth starts restrictive, if we do not grow and allow the swaddle to loosen and grow with us we will miss out on where God is. 

Let me see if I can explain this better. In the Gospel of John chapter 9, there is a man blind from birth. Jesus approaches him, spits on the ground, makes some mud and rubs it in his face and then opened his eyes. 

Jesus was and is no stranger to miracles. Every where he went He was creating controversy and manifesting miracles. This miracle, to me, is very unique though, for a couple of reasons. 

1. The man didn’t ask to be healed
2. He worked on the Sabbath to do it

This miracle wasn’t sought after by the man and Jesus didn’t have to work to make it happen. Previous miracles included someone touching Him, He had sent His word and others. He could have done anything and healed this man who didn’t ask but chose to work (make mud pies) on the Sabbath. If He didn’t want controversy, He could have waited a couple hours and the Sabbath would be over, but He didn’t. Jesus was breaking the rules, stretching the swaddling of the religious leaders. 

In healing this blind man, Jesus was stripping the swaddling off the Sabbath, giving this truth room to grow and confronting the swaddlers, the religious leaders that love to make it tight. The religion of the day with it’s practices, rituals and regulations had become so restrictive it was stunting any and all growth. 

Mark 2:27 - “The Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath.” 

The problem wasn’t the Sabbath but how they were using it. So, also, the swaddle for the baby not the baby for the swaddle. 

This is the point. As my boys began to grow out of the swaddling phase, we didn’t burn the blanket. The blanket changed it’s function. The relationship babies have with their blankets, the swaddling is also found in the dynamics of peoples beliefs. Our beliefs are often like the blanket: at times they serve us best wrapped tight around us and at other times they must be loosened to make room for growth. The key is knowing when to do each. 

Swaddlings are needed. If these boundaries are not applied early on, people ruin their lives and or the lives of others. If the swaddling (boundaries) is left on to long and never allow room grow, we suffocate and our growth in God is stunted. 

The lesson Jesus offers is simple. We should not despise old obediences or constraints; they help. But if left in place for to long or in the wrong way, these obediences can become abuses. Knowing when and how to shed the swaddle is a matter of wisdom and experience. An indication you have shed some swaddling too soon is that you lose all discipline or you feel you need to make everyone else shed theirs. These are indications of rebellion, not growth.