When we think about Christmas — and not the generic “holiday season” — we imagine the idyllic pastoral of countless Nativity displays, with baby Jesus in the cozy manger, watched over by his loving parents, friendly sheep, and visitors bearing expensive gifts.

In some ways, it’s become a symbol of how we celebrate Christmas Day, surrounded by the warmth of family and friends. And whether one celebrates the religious tradition or not, Christmas inspires us with a generosity of spirit that makes this time of year so special. Think of giving trees, Salvation Army kettles, food drives, church services and organized prayers for peace.

So Christmas also is a good day to consider the other part of the traditional Biblical narrative: a young couple far from home, wandering the streets with no place to stay, seeking shelter wherever it can be found.

It’s a story that resonates through the ages, perhaps because we see variations of it playing out right in front of us.

We see it in our sidewalks, brimming over with the blue tarps and belongings of the unwashed homeless. They will spend Christmas Day outdoors, too, from Kakaako to Kona, in their own versions of a stable. They, too, will receive visitors bearing gifts — not gold, but food, drink, presents and compassion from Hawaii’s social service agencies, churches and warm-hearted individuals.

We see it a world away in the desperate flight of refugees seeking shelter in any country that will shield them from starvation and the violence of war. The plight of Syria’s 11 million refugees, with 4.8 million fleeing the country, is the latest headline in the hardships faced by a deluge of people trying to escape the most dismal and dangerous places in the world, including Sudan, Afghanistan and Somalia. Indeed, this year’s creche in St. Peter’s Square in Rome features a Maltese fishing boat, a symbol of the flight of refugees to Italy over treacherous seas.

We see it whenever we encounter a needy stranger turned away at the door of the inn. It can be as simple as ignoring a beggar seeking a handout, or as complex as closing the borders of Europe and America to women and children seeking asylum. The current debate over whether the U.S. should bring in Syrian refugees, or build a border wall, forces us to consider the difficult choice between compassion and feeling safe in our homeland.

The Christmas story reminds us to put ourselves in the shoes of the innkeeper: Would you turn away Jesus, Mary and Joseph? Every day we have the opportunity to change the narrative. And more important, it doesn’t have to be crammed into one month.

We can donate to charities, at regular intervals throughout the year. Aloha United Way has a good list of nonprofits who do good: auw.org/nonprofit-agency-guide.

We can become advocates, lobbying the Legislature for more effective help for the homeless and poor. Visit the state Capitol or capitol.hawaii.gov, or consult advocacy groups like Hawaii Appleseed (hiappleseed.org) to get started.

We can volunteer our time and talents in our own communities, with food banks, churches, charitable organizations and the like. Just showing up to help demonstrates the joyous generosity of the Christmas season, no matter what time of year.

Finally, we can simply take to heart the symbolism of the Nativity — to value love over money, people over presents, sharing over shopping. Adopting this spirit of the holiday can be the inspiration that changes our communities, and the world.

Merry Christmas!