Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross! – Philippians 2:5-8
The annual Christmas season is there to remind us that Jesus Christ came into this world as the Word that became flesh (John 1:14), God who became man, so that He could redeem us from the bondage of sin and restore the broken relationship with the Father in Heaven.
Jesus’ life shows us perfectly who God is and how He is – as it says in Colossians 1:19: “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him.” But even in the way how Jesus was born reveals God’s love and humility that is different from any worldly king or ruler.
Being born into a humble and poor family, in a manger, as a helpless child, who would ever expect that the God of Heaven, the Creator of all the world, would make such a choice.
A well-known contemporary Christmas song speaks about the coming of the Lord in a way that no one would have imagined, from the perspective of the Magi who came to honor Jesus as recorded in Matthew 2:1-12.
They lyrics begin by saying:
Follow the star to a place unexpected
Would you believe, after all we’ve projected,
A child in a manger?
Lowly and small, the weakest of all
Unlikeliest hero, wrapped in his mother’s shawl
Just a child
Is this who we’ve waited for?
And the chorus then poses the question that could guide our reflection this Christmas season:
How many kings step down from their thrones?
How many lords have abandoned their homes?
How many greats have become the least for me?
And how many gods have poured out their hearts
To romance a world that is torn all apart
How many fathers gave up their sons for me?
Only one did that for me
Is there anyone who has ever done anything comparable to what God has done by sending His Son into this world? May this Christmas give us hope and comfort as we reflect on the profound love that God has revealed to us and for us in the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in the most unexpected way.