We have some strange phrases in English that are often posted on bumper stickers or websites like: “The one with the most toys at the end wins.” “The survival of the fittest.” Or, how about this one: “My opinions are awesome”. What these all have in common is that people tend to think that he, or she, is always right, always to strongest and always finishes on top. We train our children to stand up for themselves and not take any “guff” from anyone.
But then, we run into Christmas. I am not talking about the giving and receiving and spending until we go into debt type of Christmas. I am talking about the Christmas that we find in the Biblical account in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. It is an old story, about 2,000 years old but in many senses it is new and brings newness of life.
We know the characters, Mary, Joseph, wise men, shepherds, Herod, an Innkeeper and us! Yes, us. Here is what we read about the motive for Christmas, “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law..” In a deliberate act of His will God sent His Son to be born. Full stop! Think about that, God the Father sent God the Son to become a man in order to redeem (buy back) us from sin’s power, penalty and ultimately its presence.
That coming to earth required a great humility. Philippians 2:5-11 describe that in vivid detail, Christ laid aside the glory He had to humbly be born as one who needed his diaper changed. He subjected himself to the confines of the human condition. Even more, he gave himself to be tortured and to die and the hands of those He had created. That is humility.
Why? What in the world would He do that for? Ready…sit down and grab a cocoa…because He loves you! Let that sink it slowly. He….loves…..you! Don’t let the world tell you different, you are the object of God’s love, in fact, there is nothing you can do to stop Him from loving you.
His love required a great humility. Remember the story of the disciples (I think we can identify with this!) arguing about who would be the greatest person in the kingdom? Jesus is about to die on the cross and all they could worry about was their position in the kingdom? Yep…sounds like us. We are so worried about who is going to get the credit and if someone is going to remember all the sacrifices we made that we forget that Christ made the greatest sacrifice in His humility.
The next time someone asks you to do something that you think is beneath you…remember Christmas. Remember Christ giving Himself for you to have life and life more abundantly.
Merry Christmas, my friends!
God bless you!
In Times Like These 