Good Enough for GodSample

INTRO

Every December, we throw ourselves into celebrating the Christmas story in a ton of ways: giving gifts, singing, baking, decorating, wearing ugly sweaters… The list goes on and on. But sometimes, that first Christmas might also feel a little distant to us. Sure, the story’s entertaining, but with all the starlight, angels, wise men, and a baby born to save the world, where do we fit in?

The thing is, the key players in the story aren’t really the angels or wise men. The characters we should pay attention to (besides Jesus, of course) are Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds. They were normal people, but God had incredible roles for them in one of the greatest stories ever told.

One day, Mary was an ordinary girl from Nazareth, and the next, she was the mother of the Savior of the world, all because she followed God’s will.

Joseph was a carpenter — nowhere near a governor or king. He was probably planning on a nice, quiet life, but instead became the adoptive father of the Messiah before he was even married.

The shepherds were simply doing their job, watching their sheep at night. They weren’t scholars or priests, but when they heard the Savior had been born, their faith — and lives — were changed forever.

None of these people were at the top of the social ladder. A shepherd’s job was less-than-glamorous, and Mary was pregnant with a baby who didn’t belong to the man she was engaged to. They probably all knew what it was like to be overlooked at best or an outcast at worst. But even when others didn’t see their worth, God did.

We all have things we think disqualify us from God’s plan — a mistake, a source of shame, maybe the belief that we’re just not that special. But no matter what you think, God’s got a purpose for you that will go beyond your wildest dreams.

Take some time today to meditate on something that might be holding you back, like other people’s words, self-doubt, fear, etc. Ask yourself these questions: Why do I feel like this? Do my feelings change God’s view of me?