As Christmas approaches, I tend to think a lot about that first Christmas so many years ago and the various characters involved.

There’s so much we can learn from the people. Take Mary & Joseph. They faced isolation, judgment, and social exile. Yet they willingly submitted to God’s plan for their lives. Would you have done the same? I’m not sure I would have. They paid a high price to be used by God for His miraculous purposes.

What about the shepherds and wise men? The contrasts between these two groups is astounding: educated versus uneducated, rich versus poor, Jew (presumably, although scripture doesn’t specifically state this) versus Gentile. Yet God chose these people to be among the first to recognize Jesus’ true identity. The interesting thing to note about them is their response to God’s revelation: immediate and eager. They couldn’t wait to find the Messiah. How eagerly do we respond to God’s call?

On the flip side, what about the religious leaders? Of all people, they should have recognized God’s activity and welcomed the Messiah. Yet what do they do? They answer Herod’s questions in a passive fashion, ignoring the signs God had given them. They knew all the right answers, yet completely missed the truth. May that not be true of us!

Last – and most importantly – we have Jesus Himself. God, in the flesh, who chose to give up heaven in order to save each of us. He chose to become dependent upon Mary & Joseph – sinners whom He created – to care for His most basic of needs. He remained in this sin-filled world, subjected Himself to mockery and mistreatment, and willingly died a horrific death so He could save us from our own sin.

If that’s not cause for celebration, I don’t know what is! Merry Christmas to you all!