By Olaitan Oye-Adeitan
Perhaps, if people had known He carried their destiny on His shoulders, they would have sought a comfortable place for His birth.
One person may have even relinquished his own space.
But, they didn’t give Him a second glance, nor consider the welfare of a woman in labour.
Not even the cries of a sweet, little newborn could stir their sympathy. Instead, it was the farm animals that welcomed Him, providing warmth for Him in His most vulnerable moment, (Luke 2;7).
So it was, with the birth of Jesus Christ.
And when the news broke, God appointed the Shepherds as the first recipients of the good tidings.
Come to think of it, could it have been because baby Jesus only found accommodation at His birth, among the animals?
Though, his arrival was humble , unassuming and unheralded, yet within Him resided a glory that defied human comprehension.
It is a powerful reflection on the contrast between the ordinary circumstances of His birth and the extraordinary nature of who He is, The King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Little wonder, the throne trembled when the news of Jesus’ birth reached the ears of a reigning king, Herod, (Matthew 2:3).
One may wonder, why would a reigning king become jittery by the birth of a baby prophesied to be king? One might expect him to think the child had years of growth ahead, and that by the time He would ascended the throne, Herod would have long since passed on or be well into old age.
But Herod’s unease ran deeper, revealing that his concern wasn’t just about Jesus, but about the ‘STAR’ in Jesus, which is the purpose He was destined to fulfill.
The Wise men saw the STAR, they were glad and went to worship Him, Matthew (2:2), but Herod heard about the STAR and was threatened.
Just as Jesus’ birth threatened Herod but brought joy to the shepherds, your destiny can evoke similar reactions, sparking opposition in some, and inspiring others to support and celebrate you just like the wise men went to worship Him.
Another striking thing about the birth of Jesus was the choice of Bethlehem, a little town of no recognition as the place of His birth, just as God chose the Shepherds as the first hearers of the great news.
This goes to reveal the mystery of God’s sovereignty over all in line with the Scriptures, 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
That no flesh should glory in his presence”.
Therefore, know that your lowly state does not define you but God and He will certainly bring about a glorious image of you from that state of obscurity.
And remember, there was no place for Mary in the inn but she got a place to deliver her baby in the manger.
This tells you that, regardless of the circumstance, God’s agenda can never be hindered. He will use whatever vessel He determines to use for His purpose to be achieved, ” Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men”. I Cor 1:25.
He is The God that uses ordinary things to achieve the extraordinary.
A lesson we cannot gloss over is human attitude towards one another.If Mary, the mother of Jesus were to be a person of high social standing, even the inn keeper would have looked for a room for her but because she wasn’t garbed in the apparel, unknown to them, she carried a Glory meant for the world.
This is stark caution that we must be mindful of how we treat others and see beyond the physical appearance for many blessings may come in the most unattractive wrapper.
Today,b Jesus Christ is no longer a baby, but The Saviour of the world, the very reason for His birth.
As you celebrate Christmas, Will you prepare a room for Jesus in your life?
Merry Christmas!
