“Do not despise the day of small beginnings.”

When you think about the way our culture celebrates the birth of a royal infant, who will do little more in life than fill a figurative or symbolic role, it makes the circumstances of the birth of Jesus seem even more stark to us. The paparazzi cover our magazines and web pages with pictures of the expectant princess-Mom, and we get giggly over the possibility of the name of the baby.

And yet, when you think about it, no baby’s birth in human history still has the power to snarl traffic in New York City, Washington DC, Tokyo, San Paulo in Brazil and London as does the birth of Jesus. While the world of His day on earth slept through His advent to us, it is wide awake today; even those who claim no belief in Jesus whatsoever. We cannot ignore the matchless name of Jesus.

But it just reminds us again that God loves to show up in small things; in the things ignored or despised by people; in the marginalized people; in the downtrodden. And He loves to do great things in places nobody has really thought about… places like Bethlehem. The Old Testament prophet Zechariah said, “Do not despise the day of small beginnings.” And at Christmas we remember that the greatest came from the least of people and the smallest of places.

“Do not despise the day of small beginnings.”

“And you, Bethlehem, Ephratha, though you are least among the people of Judah, from you will come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” Micah 5:2