Last Christmas, after spending a good deal of time in the academic world, I was struck with the portion of the Christmas story involving the wise men. I connected with the fact that God appeared to the learned and the wise and that He calls us to love him with our minds --not ignore them in the name of "faith".
In stark contrast, this year I am captured by the underlying theme of weakness that we find woven throughout the narrative of the incarnation. If I were to freeze-frame scenes in which I find weakness in the Christmas story, I would highlight the following characters at distinct points as this drama unfolds:
Elizabeth - barren, old, frail; ostracized for her empty womb...
Zachariah - an honorable priest; struck mute, unable to communicate in spoken word due to his lack of faith...
Shepherds - humble men of humble means; scared shitless in their fields at the sudden the appearance of angels...
Mary - a very pregnant, young, working class girl; riding on a donkey as her contractions begin...
Joseph - a new husband, a carpenter with rough hands; suddenly forced to play "midwife" in a stable...
Jesus - a helpless little baby wrapped in rags; sucking at his mother's breast...
Indeed, baby Jesus is the epitome of weakness. (Though, admittedly, the question "How much heaven and how much earth were in this baby at his birth?" has been widely debated.)
This year I relate to weakness, and I am grateful beyond belief for these scenes that call to me from the Christmas story. I take comfort in these scenes because there is, I believe, a paradoxical strength to be found in and through weakness -- even if we can't see it at the time. Weak, dependant, helpless little baby Jesus gets me. Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting father, Prince of Peace became weak. He gives me strength; He makes me strong.
[Jesus], being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
In stark contrast, this year I am captured by the underlying theme of weakness that we find woven throughout the narrative of the incarnation. If I were to freeze-frame scenes in which I find weakness in the Christmas story, I would highlight the following characters at distinct points as this drama unfolds:
Elizabeth - barren, old, frail; ostracized for her empty womb...
Zachariah - an honorable priest; struck mute, unable to communicate in spoken word due to his lack of faith...
Shepherds - humble men of humble means; scared shitless in their fields at the sudden the appearance of angels...
Mary - a very pregnant, young, working class girl; riding on a donkey as her contractions begin...
Joseph - a new husband, a carpenter with rough hands; suddenly forced to play "midwife" in a stable...
Jesus - a helpless little baby wrapped in rags; sucking at his mother's breast...
Indeed, baby Jesus is the epitome of weakness. (Though, admittedly, the question "How much heaven and how much earth were in this baby at his birth?" has been widely debated.)
This year I relate to weakness, and I am grateful beyond belief for these scenes that call to me from the Christmas story. I take comfort in these scenes because there is, I believe, a paradoxical strength to be found in and through weakness -- even if we can't see it at the time. Weak, dependant, helpless little baby Jesus gets me. Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting father, Prince of Peace became weak. He gives me strength; He makes me strong.
[Jesus], being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
to the glory of God the Father.
- Phil. 2:6-11
