Christmas Paradox

Christmas is a time of abundance – lots of beautiful ornaments and lights, lots of presents, lots of delicious food, lots of music…just lots of everything really. As I’ve been walking by the Christmas decorations in various parts of Philadelphia over the past few weeks, I can’t help but notice their size, colors, and overall richness. While listening to some Christmas tunes during my walk to school this morning, it struck me that Christmas is also a time when God demonstrates His own majesty and richness as well as just generally lavishes His love onto us. Normally when I think of Christ at Christmas, I am struck by His human form and incredible weakness – it doesn’t get much more humble than a newborn baby in a manger! This paradox between Christ’s majestic all-powerful glory and extreme humility drew me to the following verse that describes the angels appearing to the shepherds:

And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” Luke 2:10-15

I think it is so amazing that Christ can both be so powerful and so humble at the same time. I know the dichotomy of God’s majesty and humility is nothing new, but focusing on this paradox today reminded me of what an excellent savior Christ is. I can feel completely comfortable intimately pouring out my heart to Him because I know He can relate to my struggles and He will not condemn me. He’s also so much superior to any person because not only can He listen to my troubles, but He can completely strengthen and sustain me. How rare it is to find those two traits together! I pray that today we all take the opportunity to thank God for His majesty and humility, as well as for how these traits bring us into intimate relationship with Him!