Many of us love seeing the paintings and nativity scenes and singing the songs of the baby Jesus in the manger. However, the implications of what this has to our life is much more demanding and transformative. In a strange series of events, the Son of God was born in a barn. We have heard the story so many times that it does not even faze us; however, just think about it for a second. The Son of God’s first night was in a dirty, smelly stable. Somehow, I think the significance of this goes far beyond some coincidence.
I believe God was trying to show us who Jesus identified with, who he came to speak for, who Jesus dwelt with in a special way- the poor, oppressed, and simple. On one level Jesus came for everyone, Jew and Greek, rich and poor, slave and free, male and female. We should never lose the universality of that message of Christ, but on another level, Jesus came especially to the common person, the disadvantaged, and the poor. Jesus spoke power and life into the masses, while he usually had words of condemnation and rebuke for the rich and powerful of the day. The question for the 21st Century Church is which group do we identify with? Do we identify more with the poor, oppressed, foreigner, unemployed, and unspoken for or more with the rich, powerful, famous, and “righteous”? The answer to this question is essential in understanding if we are really following in the path of our Master and Redeemer. This Christmas let’s not forget the true meaning of Christmas that the Son of Man did not come into this world to be served, but to serve and give himself as a ransom for many. Let us do the same in our own lives: with our money, time, resources, and passion. On a more social level, let’s make sure our leaders and politicians are ones that address and care about the concerns of the disenfranchised in society, not only the concerns of the rich and powerful.
Essence Restored 