To All People, Even Them

"Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which will be to all people."

I love this part of the story. Out of all the people in the world, who does God choose to tell first about the birth of His Son- "country shepherds living out in the fields." God chooses a few of the world's least important people and writes them into the most important narrative ever written.

I love this part of the story because it reminds me of God's preferential choice for the weak ones of the world. Throughout the Bible, God seems always to choose the unlikely ones to carry out His plans. I love this part of the story because it gives me hope for my sometimes seemingly unimportant life. If He chose shepherds to be a part of His story, maybe God would use my weak life to show His glory too?

I also love this part of the story because it gives me hope for the lives of the orphans for whom my heart breaks. Although so many would say they aren't worth it, He says that they are. Although so many have forgotten them, He has not. Although so many would argue them as invaluable, He chooses to make them into beautiful vessels of His glory.

Tonight, as I'm sitting by the Christmas tree with hot cider, I can't get them off my mind. I am wishing I could be there to tell them how much they are loved by the God who made them. I am wishing I could demonstrate that they are not a regretable mistake, nor an unfortunate accident. I am wishing I could share with them good tidings of great joy- for He came for them, the weak ones of the world. When no one else would, He came to love them.

I love this part of the story because it changes everything for them. And although it may not look that way for each of them tonight, it will someday. And tonight, I am hopeful of that day- when He will come in His fullness and there indeed will be...

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men."