One day in Santa’s Toy Shop, Buddy the Elf overheard some coworkers gossiping about him and his recent poor performance at work. One elf said to the other, “I feel bad for the guy. I just hope he doesn’t get wise.” The other elf whispered back, “If he hasn’t figured out he’s a human by now, I don’t think he ever will!” Buddy the Elf has just learned that he is not an elf at all! He’s a human being!

While this fact comes as no shock to the viewer, it irrupts as a Plot Twist in the life of Buddy. Memories from his past start flashing before his eyes. The elf shoes that didn’t fit, the elf showers that were too short, the elf beds that weren’t long enough; he realized that the rumor was, in fact, true. The magical world as Buddy once knew it was turned upside down! One revelation changed everything. This Plot Twist may have reoriented Buddy’s self-understanding, but it was more so the key to unlocking a deeper truth about his life that he wouldn’t have seen otherwise. 

Whether it’s Buddy the Elf recognizing his full identity, George Bailey learning the value of his own life, or Ebenezer Scrooge realizing that there is more to this world than money, Christmas movies are full of perspective-shifting moments. One life lesson, surprise arrival, change of plans, or piece of unexpected news can shift the trajectory of a character’s journey and an entire film. 

These kinds of moments are not just for movies. Plot Twists happen in our lives as well, for better or worse. It could be a promotion you didn’t see coming, an invitation from a friend you haven’t seen in a while, the acceptance letter arriving in the mail; beneficial surprises abound. And yet, there are times when someone else gets the job you wanted, you hear about the party after it happened, and a rejection letter comes instead. Life is never guaranteed to go as we would expect or want it to.   

Throughout Advent, we will see that the Christmas Story comes as a great Plot Twist that changes everything forever. Kingdoms are flipped upside down, families face forks in the road, long-felt longings are brought to life, dreams bring new direction, all in the wake of Jesus’ arrival. By looking at the story of Advent in Luke’s Gospel, we will see how Angels, Shepherds, Prophets, and even Jesus’ own relatives experience this story of God’s Incarnation as the ultimate Plot Twist. We will see that the birth of Jesus, and everything that leads up to it, plays a vital part in the larger narrative of Scripture. God’s plan to break into history unfolds in front of us. How might this Plot Twist change the direction of your life?