An Earthly Home for the Savior

A long time ago, as a matter of fact, so long ago that it was before time itself, God in his providence chose an earthly family to fulfill an impossible mission. Imagine making that choice – all the possibilities! I guess we couldn’t even if we tried. In His infinite wisdom, of all the time that ever was and ever will be, of all the places that ever arose and ever will arise, and of all the people that every lived and ever will live, God decided that in 1 AD, Mary would give birth to the Messiah, holding the hand of her betrothed husband Joseph in a little town called Bethlehem.

We may imagine God in this brainstorming session, considering multiple situations and finally choosing the closest to perfect timing, place, and persons He’s ever gonna get. Well, we would be wrong. Truly it had nothing to do with the qualifications of any of them. There is no historical or biblical evidence that Mary and Joseph were exceptionally spiritual, or that the stable in Bethlehem was remarkably clean, or even that the first century was an especially great time in history. In fact the Bible reminds us of the contrary. 1 Corinthians 1 v 27-29 describes the true nature of God’s work –

“But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.”

Mary and Joseph, Bethlehem and the first century had nothing to boast of. Yet, each was used by God for a great mission. He enabled each to serve a purpose beyond their abilities, expectations, and potential. When many of us rack up our accomplishments to being the right person, at the right place, in the right time, be wiser in knowing that God doesn’t work within these parameters. And if you feel that God will never choose you because you have nothing to offer, know again that it’s not about you.

I hope 1 Corinthians 1, v 27-29 will come to mind when you feel like you don’t measure up to the task that lies before you. If you have trouble remembering long verses, like I do, here is the best summarized version I read somewhere on the ‘interwebs’ and kind of liked – “God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called”.

May the Lord change your perspective on life when you read His word.