“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.”
Caesar speaks, and the people jump. The emperor’s decree that a census must be taken required everyone to return to their hometown…including a very pregnant Mary and what I imagine would be her very nervous husband, Joseph. This decree sets the stage for Joseph and Mary’s journey to Bethlehem.
Despite being the Messiah, Jesus wasn’t born in a palace or a place of comfort; he was born in a humble stable. If you think about it, maybe that’s as it should be, because that’s where God’s presence is most often found…among the least, the last, and the lost…with those who’ve been told there’s no place for them in the inn…or the church, or society, or even life in general because of who they are, where they were born, who they love, or the god they worship.
Jesus’ humble birth shows us that God meets us where we are…as we are…in our ordinary everyday lives. This humble beginning reminds us that God’s love reaches into every corner of our lives and our world, no matter how simple or overlooked.
This Christmas, may we discover God’s presence in the simple, unexpected moments of our lives, and may we welcome him into our hearts with humility and honesty. May God be found in the tiniest of blessings and the most unexpected of places. And may we remember that true greatness is found not in caring for our own needs first, but in serving others with humility and grace. May the hope, joy, peace, and love of Christmas be yours, and may you experience God right where you are.