12/26/2025
"The Humble Christ" - A Devotional by Chaplain Jeff Meyers
She gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:7 NIV)
This well-known verse from the Christmas story is a real lesson in humility. The omnipotent, omnipresent Lord of the universe appeared as a baby, crying the cry of life, probably weighing less than ten pounds and measuring fewer than twenty-four inches in length. This amazing event is simply described as “she gave birth to her firstborn.” Jesus willingly left the halls of heaven to come to earth as an infant child.
Mary treated Jesus the way any mother would treat a newborn baby. She wrapped Him in swaddling cloths. Mary and Joseph cared for Jesus like any other beloved child. That’s the way we are to treat one another, too. We are to care for each other just as if we are neighbors. We don’t look down upon our neighbor and elevate ourselves. We don’t elevate our neighbor and look down upon ourselves. We wrap ourselves with humility and treat one another just the way we would want to be treated.
Mary laid the baby in a manger. This was a simple feeding trough for animals. When Christ entered the world, He came to a place that had some of the smelliest, filthiest, and most uncomfortable conditions. This is the wonder of Divine grace. Jesus humbled Himself to be born a baby that would grow up to die on a cross as a substitute for human sin. On the cross He would carry some of the smelliest, filthiest, and most uncomfortable conditions of human existence. He did this out of humility. He did so because He so loved the world. Let us humbly love.
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