When God Comes Near, Part II

When God comes near, insignificant places are given meaning, like Nazareth and Bethlehem, along with the lowly stable where Christ was born. We saw how that was true in Part I of this Bible Insight. But not only does God give meaning to insignificant places, when God comes near, He also uses insignificant people for His purposes.

The important people of the world were Caesar Augustus and Quirinius (Luke 2:1-2). They were the movers and shakers. Like E.F. Hutton, when they spoke, people listened. They could call for taxes and the response was, “So let it be done.” But they weren’t called on by God. He used them in a way, but He didn’t call them to do His work. No, He called on the common folk when His work needed to be done.

First, there is the young poor couple from Nazareth, Joseph and Mary (vs. 4-5). Joseph was but a poor carpenter, albeit a good one, and Mary was just a young teenager. Yet they were chosen by God for a great work; a work that would ultimately change the entire world. They were upright, humble, and faithful, but the important thing to note is that God chose them.

God also chose the shepherds: “Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night” (v. 8). Throughout the Bible, shepherds had important roles, as we see in this story, but socially they were outcasts. They were considered unreliable, untrustworthy, and larcenous. In the eyes of the world they were insignificant, yet God chose to use them.

The shepherds were surprised at what they saw and heard that night: “So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.’ And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger” (vs. 15-16). They never expected to hear such things or see such sights, but they did!

God chose the despised shepherds to carry the announcement of the birth of the Savior to the world. And they did not disappoint. “Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child” (v. 17). “Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them” (v. 20).

Even the lowly innkeeper was chosen by God to see that Mary and Joseph were not left out in the elements that night. The innkeeper is so insignificant a person, he is not even mentioned in the text. There is only a slight reference to his role: “because there was no room for them in the inn” (v. 7b). That is why they were in the stable and why the manger came into play. Yet it was this unnamed innkeeper whom God used to protect the baby Jesus and keep Him warm.

Still today God uses common people to accomplish His purposes. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 says, “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.”

God uses places like Stanzel, and churches like this one, and people like you, to do His bidding. Simply respond to God as Mary did to the angel, “Let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). Respond by faith in that manner and humble yourself before the Lord God, and He will respond to you and use you to accomplish His will. He will ask you to do His bidding in some manner, and He will use you to accomplish His purposes in your life and in the lives of those around you. Amen.