I anxiously await the grandeur and spectacle of Christmas: Handel
and Bach, poinsettias and processions, candles and carols. Worthy is the lamb!
…but I notice a contrary tone in my Advent Bible readings. When I consider the primary characters, I’m getting a lesson in
humility. (Luke 1)
There’s Zechariah and Elizabeth, John the Baptist, Joseph
and Mary. An aging couple, their eccentric son, the peasant carpenter and his
teen bride. For most of her life, Elizabeth had borne the shame and disappointment
of infertility. Putting it politely, Mary was faced with an unexpected pregnancy.
The real Christmas story is about unpretentious people…under
duress…straining to comprehend God's plan…attempting to obey.
In this age of self and celebrity, Holy Spirit, prepare my
heart with their witness of humility. Amen.
