Born again Christians who are truly committed to living a life in God have embraced this season of Christmas as a time to meditate on the great love God bestowed upon us when He came in the person of Jesus Christ to save us from sin.

Jesus’ humble and lowly background and nature was a deliberate plan of God and from it we are able to know and understand the nature and attributes of God, some of which are:

1. HE IS EXALTED BUT HUMBLE (NOT PROUD).

“Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Phil. 2:6-8 KJV).

The creator, God almighty came into the world as Jesus born to humble parents who could not afford to rent a house when he was born but rather sought accommodation in an inn.

The inn was full. For the time that his parents stayed in Bethlehem, baby Jesus (God as man) was placed in a manger which is a feeding trough for livestock. No doubt his parents slept close by in the humble and inconspicuous abode where this manger was which is likely to have been a place where animals resided.

What is God saying to us? The fact that God in the person of Jesus came to identify with humanity is clear, but the emphasis is on the fact that he was one of those that people pass by on the streets without giving a second glance; He was through his parentage of a low status or ranked insignificant in society.

Brethren, God could have chosen a well to do family even from among the descendants of David or Aaron as Jesus’ parents rather than Joseph (David’s line) and Mary (Aaron’s line), however God did not.

If Jesus’ parents were well off or rich they would never have taken refuge in an abode where animals were kept especially not with their baby!

Even Mary as she sang unto the Lord, expressed herself as one of “low estate” being blessed of the Lord and therefore “from henceforth generations shall” call her blessed (Luke 1:47-48 KJV).

2. HE RESISTS THE PROUD BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE (James 4:6 KJV).

As Jesus grew up, he trained to be a carpenter (a humble, manual job) not a Rabbi educated by sitting at the feet of a Rabbi of his day. However he had God’s wisdom from a very young age and is said to have taught as a boy who had authority not as the scribes (Matt. 7:29 KJV).

Brethren, there is nothing wrong with being educated to degree or even doctorate level, as long as you do not think that because you are well learned what you know grants you enough wisdom so that you do not need to seek the wisdom of God.

The greatness of God’s wisdom is incomparable to man’s because “This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans,…” (1 Corinth.1:25 KJV)

Jesus is the personification of God’s wisdom. If we have Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, abide in him and he in us, we have access to God so as to know his ways (wisdom) as we gain knowledge of Him through His word and by supernatural revelation. He is also well able to give us understanding of His wisdom and knowledge as we abide in Him.

3.GOD LOVES HIS CREATION, REGARDLESS OF GENDER, RACE, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CLASS.

Jesus grew up among the poor and lowly, therefore he was used to being surrounded by such people who included prostitutes and drunkards or those regarded as insignificant.

Therefore in his public ministry he did not shun such people and had the reputation of being among them. Jesus came for the LOST: His notable disciples and followers were

a) fishermen. This profession was a manual “lowly” one.

b) females who were ranked as second class citizens in relation to men and could not be educated. A group of women were with Jesus when he travelled from town to town.

c) Samaritans, who were of Assyrian and Israelite ancestry were despised by Jews – the first being the Samaritan woman Jesus deliberately met at the well. She received Jesus as Lord and Saviour, evangelised and many accepted Christ. She is mentioned in history as haven been a travelling missionary.

The aforementioned are examples of the lost of any gender, race and social status Jesus came to seek and save (Luke 19:10).

Jesus came for the MEEK: The woman of the Alabaster jar of oil (Matt.26:7) who anointed Jesus’ feet exemplifies the meek (humble) who will inherit the kingdom of heaven. She loved much because she had been forgiven much.

Humility before God is expressed in our actions towards Him because we acknowledge and give thanks to Him for being the source of our changed lives to the glory of God.

God is in Christ reconciling the back to Himself and He has committed unto you and I the ministry of reconciliation (John 3:16/2 Corinth. 5:19).

Brethren, this means whatever our gender, race, social or economic class background God has chosen us to be instruments of reconciliation of mankind with God. Knowing God and His attributes through Christ is the means through which we excell in the calling as ministers of reconciliation.

My prayer is that our spiritual eyes will open daily to the truths in God’s Word so that our walk with God and each other will reflect the peace and love of God.

Out of the abode of poverty, lowliness and humility our Messiah was born and arose, so that out m of the abyss of oppression, depression and lack we are reborn and arise, to receive withheld gifts of God, “beauty for ashes,the oil of joy for mourning,

the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness”that we “might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.” (Quotes Isaiah 61:3 KJV)

You are blessed, determine to stay blessed.

Deborah Esther

©25Dec2015 Deborah E.Nyamekye