Day 275.
And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. (Luke 2:16 ESV)
“They” in the above verse is the shepherds. This is such an interesting scene. The King of kings and Lord of lords is not to be found among the nobility, the powerful, or the elite of the land. He is found among shepherds, a job for the lowly. It was a dirty job and often kept them away from Sabbath keeping. Joseph and Mary were poor. Their sacrifice of birds puts them in a class of people who cannot afford the proper sacrifice. Mary is very young and pregnant, not yet married to Joseph. To top it all off they are in a barn giving birth. Jesus is laid in a manger, that is, a feeding trough for animals. According to the values and expectations of the world, this is not a scene to draw attention. If any, it would draw negative attention and a wary eye.
However it is in keeping with Jesus and His teaching. He came that the first would be last and the last, first. He came to bring down the lofty and raise up the lowly, and he begins even with his birth. Those given the accord of that great honor were the lowly.
Lord, help me to be mindful of lowliness, that I might cling to you all the more!
