Reflecting on the Wonder of Christmas

One year, my daughter and I flew to Chicago a few weeks before Christmas. Because Ginny works for an airline the flight attendant bumped us up to first-class. We flew coach home. Let me explain the difference between our flights.

• In first-class four seats filled a row (two plus two). In coach five seats were crammed into the same amount of space (three on one side, two on the other).
• In first-class, a console separated our roomy seats. In coach, we fought for elbow space.
• In first-class they provided a steamy washcloth before a hot meal. In coach, they offered pretzels and a soft drink.
• In first-class, after our meal, the attendant passed out warm chocolate chip cookies. In coach, after the pretzels, well, that was it.

My cousin flew from San Antonio, TX to Washington DC a few days later. Young soldiers being deployed overseas filled her packed plane. When the captain announced they were on the first leg of their trip to an unsafe region of the world, the plane applauded.

But one man did more.

A flight attendant from first-class walked back to the crowded coach section and picked an especially young, slender guy, and ushered him into first-class. A couple of minutes later a large man lumbered out of first-class and crammed his bulk into the soldier’s coach seat.

The Wonder of Incarnation

Thinking about these young soldiers leaving the safety of home and comfort of their families at Christmas to protect us and the large man surrendering his first-class seat for a soldier he didn’t know, touched me. Their sacrifices provide a small picture of what Jesus did for us.

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich” (2 Cor. 8:9 NIV).

• Before Jesus filled a manger, His presence filled the galaxies. Jesus left the expanse and glory of heaven to be confined on one planet in a human body.
• Before Jesus was an infant, He was the Almighty. He spoke and worlds were created. He set aside His power to become a helpless baby. The Creator became a creature.
• Before the incarnation, Jesus knew everything. He set aside His omniscience to become like us and grow in knowledge.
• Jesus didn’t move from first-class class to coach. He moved from heaven to earth—to hell on the cross—so that we could live in heaven. He took our shame and guilt so we could share His glory.
• He died in weakness so we could live in the power of the resurrection.

Have you pondered what Jesus did for you? When we do, we discover strength, comfort, and joy, not for just a season, but for a lifetime.

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