Christmas Reflection 09

Is Christmas still humbling? When you think about the word what’s the first thing that pops into your head? Is it presents, or santa, or family, or even all those wonderful Christmas songs? I bet the last thing you think about is a broken and hopeless word. We’ve made Christmas a time for celebration and gift giving, but we’ve lost the picture of the baby born under the most humbling of circumstances.

Let’s remember right now just what it was like in the days of Jesus’ birth.

It had been almost 400 years since the nation of Israel had heard from God, there had been no prophets, no kings, no ruling Jewish authorities, the people had forgotten what God had done for them, and were now under the oppressive rule of the Roman government. Even the spiritual leaders had lost their way, becoming blind to what God had declared and now administering justice and forgiveness by their own rule and will. This was not someplace you would want to live. Let’s let Luke 2 tell the rest of the story:

Luke 2

The Birth of Jesus

¹In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ²(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³And everyone went to his own town to register.

⁴So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels

⁸And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ^[a] the Lord. ¹²This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

¹³Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
¹⁴“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

¹⁵When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

¹⁶So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

There is nothing glamorous about the savior’s birth, yet all of nature is there, in that small stable giving glory to the One who has saved us all. These are quite humble beginnings for the King of Kings. He gave up his warm heavenly throne, and all the angels who worshipped him, and a relationship with his father to come to a cave in the countryside. He left it all in order to save us. A man with no problems became the man of sorrows who we killed with our own hands. From humble beginnings to a humble end.

We’ve lost the humility of Christmas. It’s gone from a humble stable where selfless love was born into the world to a mega commercialized holiday where selfish want corrupts the original message. Christmas was never about getting. His birth teaches us about giving. We’re a blessed nation, and even in these hard economic times there is nothing worth getting more than the knowledge of grace.

Let’s make this year different. Let’s get back to humble beginnings. I’ve got a challenge. This year, evaluate in your life what you don’t need, it could be anything. And then give it away. Take a good hard look at your Christmas presents, at your closets, at your bank accounts, at your movie shelves. If you have more than you need, and I’m talking absolutely need, find a better place for it. I’m reminded of this in so many ways from my own life.

Last winter for Christmas I gave away all but one pair of my jeans, let’s face it, as long as I do laundry I’ll only need one. This year I found that a girl had taken one of the pairs of jeans I put in a donation box and had turned it into a purse! Now that might seem strange, but it’s better than me letting them collect dust in my closet.

Last year I also started making it a point to give away as much money as I could, I don’t need a lot to live off of, so last year for Christmas I saw a lady filling up her car with gas, and I offered to pay for it, then I did the same thing for a single mom in the grocery store. Every time I give not only to I take the glory and give it to God for blessing me, but it also keeps my mind in check with where my blessings come from.

I have a hard time sharing both of those stories because I don’t want to be congratulated or recognized for what I do, I just want to be found faithful in the Lord’s eyes.

So challenge yourself this Christmas. Give it away out of humility. Recognize those in less fortunate situation and bless them. I promise you’ll find joy in a broken world.

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