The Wonderful "Smallness" of Christmas

When we first moved to Hungary in 1996, we shopped in small local stores. Now the city of Budapest claims scores of malls or "mega-stores". One of the largest shopping malls in Central Europe is located in Budapest and has many stores and food establishments, movie theaters and hotels. These changes embrace the belief that "bigger is better." During the Christmas season, we, as individuals, can be easily lured into this thinking. Yet the story of Christmas tells us that "smallness" is best.

The first Christmas was a miraculous event of an eternal God reducing Himself into a newborn (Jesus). Almighty God becoming of no reputation, arrived with the express purpose of dying a cruel death on a cross. The few who recognized him were in utter amazement. Yet this huge event, Christ's birth was about smallness.

My grandfather once asked me, "How far do you think God reduced Himself to enter our world? Did He become as small as DNA?" The amazing wonder of the God of the universe entering time and space in such "smallness" is staggering - all to reveal His plan of redemption to the world.

This Christmas, do not despise the small things. Let us consider becoming unknown and squeezing into small places in the lives of those around us who have great need to know this Babe from Bethlehem, Jesus Christ.

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14 NIV)

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