“Sacred Infant, all divine, / What a tender love was Thine, / Thus to come from highest bliss / Down to such a world as this! / Hail, O ever blessed morn! / Hail, redemption’s happy dawn! / Sing through all Jerusalem: / ‘Christ is born in Bethlehem.’ “- Lutheran Service Book, #373, verse 3 (Tune: HUMILITY)
“When [the shepherds] had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in hear heart.”- Luke 2: 17-19 (NIV)
With my father William’s deployment to the China Burma India Theater during World War II only weeks away, his father Louis died in an elevator accident on 29 November 1944. That left my grandmother, Mary Johanna Henning, a widow at the age of forty-eight. To support herself, Mary cleaned houses. In addition, she catered at weddings and other events. She faithfully worshipped at Golgotha Lutheran Church and cherished her service with the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League.
Above all, Mary loved to host lavish Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners for her extended family. Adults in the dining room. Children around a table in the living room — next to the ‘Great Tree.’ So, getting to sit at the main table symbolized a rite of passage. Hence, beneath her sometimes-gruff persona beat a servant heart, ready to hail redemption’s happy dawn.
Writing in Chapter 11 (“Humility Shines”) of Because of Bethlehem, Max Lucado observes that most of the players in the Christmas drama inspire us with their faith. For example, we witness Mary’s great courage, Joseph’s obedience, the shepherds who came quietly and worshipped willingly, the wise men who traveled far and gave generously.
But one played the role of a villain: King Herod. Most significantly, although Herod and the magi share the same chapter in Matthew, they most certainly didn’t share the same heart. For while the wise men say Jesus, Herod only saw himself. To the point he balked at telling the wise men to search for the King of the Jews. Instead, he only mustered the feeble command to search for the child.
Certainly, Herod understood that the star and scripture prophesied the coming of the Messiah. Yet, Herod used that knowledge for evil intent. He ignored redemption’s happy dawn, rejecting Jesus in the process. Furthermore, pride eclipses the right choice from us. Even when we know the truth. As G. K. Chesterton once wrote:
“How much larger your life would be if your self could become smaller in it. You would break out of this tawdry theater in which your own little plot is always being played, and you would find yourself under a freer sky.”
Humility, Pastor Lucado muses. The more you think you have it, you don’t. Yet, Max exhorts, pursue it anyway. Scripture carries the recurring message that God loves the humble heart. Also, Max encourages, God bestows great treasures. God gives:
- honor.
- wisdom.
- direction.
- most significantly, grace.
- reassurance (Psalm 149:4 — “He crowns the humble with victory.”)
God tried everything possible to capture Herod’s attention. As a result, God sent messengers from the East and a message from the Torah, wonders from the sky and words from Scripture. Thus, Max counsels, ponder Christ’s achievement more than yours. Spend more time at the cross and less time on your throne. Brag on Christ’s work rather than your own. While all of us possess value, none of us are invaluable. Because Christ matter, not us.
In conclusion, Pastor Lucado offers these words of advice to help us hail redemption’s happy dawn, to:
“Make the wiser choice. The path marked Pride will lead you over a cliff. The path marked Humility will take you to the manger of the Messiah.”