A week ago, at our home group bible study we had our Christmas party. Among all the fun we had, we also played the White Elephant game. Basically, each person brought a wrapped gift without a name on it. Then, one by one we picked one of the gifts that most captured our attention. (There’s more to the game, but it’s not the point of the story.)
When Mina’s turn came (our oldest), she grabbed the biggest gift she found under the tree. With huge curious eyes she opened it in excitement. When she took a peek at it, her smile turned upside-down and grunted out-loud her disappointment.
Beautifully wrapped were a bunch of cleaning supplies, including broom and dust pan (every kid’s dream), plus very handy traveling toilet seat covers that I got so excited about.
The next day, she came to me and wisely said “Mommy, I learned a lesson. Some of the most beautiful things are not wrapped in the biggest package.”
And that’s what Christmas is about. Christ came in a very simple package, nothing to attract our looks to Him. Isaiah talks about the fact that the Messiah will come without any glorious attraction. He will simply blend in. And He humbly did so. He even went to the lowliest degree.
He had a common name, Jesus (Joshua) found in the Bible a few times. Not even a name like Abraham, David, Solomon, a name never repeated in the bible. – YET He nestles all the names covering up all our needs.
Born to humble parents, also with very common names Mary and Joseph. His legal father had an honourable, but humble trade, a carpenter. – YET Jesus is our Heavenly Father fully understanding what it means to deal with a family; parents, siblings, relatives.
He had no academic credential from Jerusalem. – YET He taught and read in the synagogues with more depth and knowledge than anyone. He taught with so much authority, that it threatened all the scholars at the time, including the High Priest.
He came to be a king during the Roman Empire when the term ‘king’ imposed power, huge army, fancy chariots, oppression, more rules, more taxes, more territories to conquer, more burdens on others. – YET He came as a king in Jerusalem riding a donkey. He came to portray a screaming contrast of kingdoms saying “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” Matthew 11:28-30
He lived and started ministry in a disgraced part of the country, in Nazareth by the Sea of Galilee, a town often visited by tourists today, yet just a cluster of meek homes back then. A place with a bad reputation overall: ” ‘Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?’ Nathanael asked.” John 1:46 – YET Jesus comes to restore and bring honour.
“He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.” Isaiah 53:2 – YET He is King of all Kings.
Our oldest daughter asked me this morning while dressed in a princess dress: “Mommy, do I have royal blood in me? I am a princess!”
“You bet sweetheart, I answered, Jesus is our King and we are His daughters!” Sure, we were born in sin, yet He adopted us into His royal family with His sacrificial love.
Let’s remind ourselves to stay gentle and humble as our Heavenly Father did.
Meditate: Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” Matthew 11:28-30