“Our heavenly Father uses humble beginnings to draw humble hearts to Himself. Christmas celebrates humility!”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – December 22, 2021
Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Luke 2:11-12
My father was born in Kentucky during the depression. His dad, a dirt farmer (someone who ekes out a living from working the land), struggled to make ends meet and to meet the needs of his family. I remember as a very young boy visiting my grandparents on the farm and falling off the top of the wobbly black fence into the pig pen. Mushy, messy and smelly, I just missed the charging, snorting sow by franticly flinging myself back up the way I came to the top of the rickety old wooden structure! Humble beginnings indeed for dad. He later joined the army to flee farm life, and with keen intellect, an industrious spirit and perseverance grew into a respected operational technical writer in the aerospace industry. His humble beginnings helped him handle success.
This Christmas time of year, I happily reflect on the humble beginnings of Jesus. Maybe because I can relate to a simple start—Christ’s birth in a rough wooden manager invites me to meekness. According to Gallup research the second most popular Christmas hymn, Away in a Manager, paints the emotion of Christ’s humble beginnings, Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, the little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head. A manager, a feed trough in a stable for hungry animals, became a picture of Jesus, the bread of life from heaven to feed hungry hearts. Our heavenly Father uses humble beginnings to draw humble hearts to Himself. Christmas celebrates humility!
“He existed in the form of God, yet he gave no thought to seizing equality with God as his supreme prize. Instead he emptied himself of his outward glory by reducing himself to the form of a lowly servant. He became human” (Philippians 2:6-7, TPT).
In admiration of the spirit of Christmas, step down from what you think you deserve and take on the attitude of a servant. Look for ways to give: quietly clean up after someone else, cover the cost of a meal with friends and family, ask a server how you can pray for her or care for a child so a parent or parents can enjoy a much-needed break. Reset your mindset with meekness. Jesus, the bread of life from heaven is the only nourishment that can satisfy a soul’s appetite for love.
Stay humble by embracing your humble beginnings. Even if you have been blessed with the world’s resources all your life—every life was at one time humbled by spiritual brokenness. Remember, once you were blind, now you see. Once you were an enemy of God, now you are His friend. Once you were lost in your sins unforgiven, now you are saved, your sins forgiven. Celebrate Christ’s humble beginnings as an anthem to heaven’s gift—and celebrate your spiritual humble beginnings that allowed you to receive heaven’s gift of love, by grace through faith!
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I celebrate and thank you for your Son’s humble beginnings that give me faith and hope, through Christ’s love and in Jesus’ name, amen.
Application
Consider adding to your routine humble ways to serve like taking out the trash, yard work or helping with homework.
Related Reading
Isaiah 42:1; Matthew 11:29; Mark 10:45; John 1:1, 5:18, 14:9
Worship Resource
Lauren Daigle: Away in a Manger
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