Revolutionary Christmas

He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;

he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

He has brought down rulers from their thrones

but has lifted up the humble.

He has filled the hungry with good things

but has sent the rich away empty.

Luke 1:51–53

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Theses verses from Mary's Song in Luke 1 highlight the great reversal of fortunes that is inherent in the Christmas story. I don’t know if you've ever thought about it before but the Christmas story is inherently revolutionary. For a baby to be born who will become king, necessarily implies that God is taking someone’s throne away.

‌‌Add to that the fact that this baby wasn’t born to a member of high society but to a low-born girl, a social outcast, and the revolutionary theme gets even stronger. Mary was almost certainly a plain-looking 12-15 year old girl from a poor family in Nazareth. But God chose her, a nobody from nowhere town, to be the mother of His Son!

‌‌Christmas and the Christmas story is about a great reversal of fortunes. It’s about God’s desire to exalt the humble, and cast down the proud. James 4:6 says, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Mary’s song reminds us of this truth that God shows mercy (kindness and gentle goodness) to those who fear Him, to those who are humble and hungry. But not so with the proud. God performs mighty deeds against those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He scatters them with the strength of His arm. He brings them down from their thrones and He sends them away empty handed.

‌‌This means that Christmas is a time for humbling ourselves… for rooting pride out of our hearts. It’s a time for making sure we are on the right side of this great reversal that is still going on. ‌‌Humble yourself and live in the fear of the Lord this Christmas. Don’t exalt yourself. Don’t make it all about you and what you want.

‌‌Think about what we find God the Father doing in the Christmas story. He is remembering those in humble circumstances and lifting up the poor. You should do the same.‌‌ Who’s hungry that you can feed? Who’s lonely that you can visit? Who’s discouraged that you can encourage? Who’s cold or doing without that you can help keep warm and well-fed? Think about them. Do for them.