December 13:
B.C. verse: Luke 2:1-5
A.D. verse: 2 Corinthians 5:6-7; Isaiah 41:10
Christmas hymn: “O Little Town of Bethlehem”
Hymn for today: “It is Well With my Soul”
When I was a kid, my next door neighbor’s name was Grandma Nellie. She
technically wasn’t my grandma, but she was very old, and she always had a lemon
drop for me. Across the street lived George and Gracie. Even though Gracie has
since passed away from cancer, I still see George now and then, and he is still
the kindest, most gentle man ever. He is still sharp as a tack and always makes
a point to ask about my husband, kids and career.
Down the street was another very old Dutch lady named Nell. Since I had
a paper route, I visited her once per week (Fridays) where I would always be
treated to a cup of tea and pickles as snack while her crazy cat gave me the
death glare from atop the refrigerator.
I could keep going, if you like.
As you can probably surmise, I grew up in a very small community – less
than 600 people total; additionally, this was a community with a strong, mostly-Dutch,
Christian Reformed heritage. There was a private school in this town that was
largely supported by the area Christian Reformed churches, and I attended this
school, K-12.
Welcome to my hometown.
There was a period and time when I couldn’t wait to leave this town. As
a senior in high school, I was experiencing growing pains and couldn’t wait to
see the “real world.” Well, I have seen the “real world,” and I will admit I
miss the safe, connected “bubble” in which I grew up. Like almost every small town on the planet, a
fact of small towns, which can be both an advantage and disadvantage, is that
everybody knows everybody, and everybody knows ABOUT everybody. While some
people do not like it at all, I have come to appreciate this intricate social tapestry as well as the social “guidelines”
of my hometown and the purpose it served.
The bottom line is that for good or for ill, your hometown, to a
certain extent, defines you.
And so it was with Joseph. When the census was required, Joseph had to
return to his hometown (or “own town”). For the purpose of discussion, his “hometown”
was tied to his lineage, and since he was of the house of David, he had to
return to Bethlehem. “Descendant of David” not only defined Joseph;
it influenced how others regarded him.
That certainly explains the practical reason as to why Jesus was born
in Bethlehem, but that was a man-made reason. “In those days, Caesar Augustus
issued a decree that a census would be taken of the entire Roman world. . .And
everyone went to their own town to register” (Luke 2: 1 and 3). Of all the
places God could have chosen for Him, a King, to be born, why did he choose Bethlehem?
The Sunday School answer is that the prophets had foretold that the
Savior would be born in Bethlehem. Sorry if I am being disrespectful, but that
is circular logic. That’s like saying, “I need a new car. Therefore, I am going
to buy a new car because I need a new car.”
Why did God specifically choose
the dinky, little town of Bethlehem to be the place of His birth?
“So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea,
to Bethlehem, the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of
David” (Luke 2:4). Obviously, Bethlehem was David’s town, so here’s a thought: God
specifically chose a small, insignificant, almost-forgotten town in which to be
born because the town reflects David himself.
Think back to when Samuel showed up on Jesse’s farm to anoint a new
king. He and God played a game of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. . “Is this
the one, God?” When Samuel had gone through the whole works without a winner,
he asked Jesse if there were any other kids. I imagine Jesse scratching his
head and then an imaginary light-bulb flashes over his head. As a matter of
fact, “There is still the youngest but he is tending the sheep (the least respected
task that was reserved for the youngest/most powerless)” (I Samuel 16:11). The kid
on the bottom of the totem pole ended up being king. The most insignificant had
the most important task.
It kinda sounds like Bethlehem, doesn’t it? The least important city
was awarded the privilege and historical claim-to-fame of being the place of
the Savior’s birth. Likewise, while Bethlehem did not define Christ, it
certainly was defined by Christ’s birth. It wasn’t the size or looks of the city (or
king) that impressed God; it was the character. We would be wise to chew on
that idea for a while. “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last,
and the servant of all” (Mark 9:35).
Daily Challenge: Complain less
today. Every time you feel a “whine” coming on, smile.
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