Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Ephesians 4:2 NIV
Jesus’ birth happened under the humblest of circumstances. The God of heaven and earth, as the carol sings, “laid His glory by.” Thomas Watson expounded, “He was born in an inn, and a manger was His cradle, the cobwebs His curtains, the beasts His companions.”
However, as modest as Jesus’ birth was, kings came in worship and the heavens sang. It wasn’t the pomp and ceremony they admired, but the heart of a God who emptied Himself (Philippians 2:7).
The typical American Christmas has lost that spirit. Rather than a humble holiday with a heart of gold, it appears to be more like what Jesus said about the Pharisees—a holiday of whitewashed tombs, beautiful on the outside but full of dead men’s bones (Matthew 23:27). What is the point of all the lovely decorations and expensive gifts when they are done out of stress, pressure, and resentment?
This year, let’s discipline ourselves to have more than just a merry Christmas, but a holy Christmas. Let’s concentrate on the true spirit of Christmas—humility and grace.
Have patience with others as you hurry through the shops. Resolve conflicts graciously and quickly. Be swift to forgive and faithful to admit fault. In all the busyness, don’t give the devil a foothold. Continue to pray and meditate on the humiliation Christ endured to save such sinners as us.
God, in the bustle of this busy season, help me shine the light of Christ through my actions of patience and humility.
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Today’s reading was adapted from Daily Wisdom for Women: 2016 Devotional Collection with permission from Barbour Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Reading was written by Sabrina McDonald.