And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped Him snugly in strips of cloth and laid Him in a manger because there was no lodging available for them. Luke 2:6-7
Over a year ago, I traveled to Israel. As I left Israel, I had a little bit of Israeli currency remaining in my wallet. As soon as I landed back in the United States in a Dallas airport, I was extremely thirsty and knew I needed to purchase a water bottle. On my way to baggage claim, I found a store where I could buy a water and pulled out the change to pay for it. As I handed my change, the store clerk looked at me, held up a coin, looked at me strangely, and said, "Uh, what is this?" I suddenly realized that I had given him an Israeli coin rather than US currency. I laughed, apologized, and handed him the correct currency. This faux pas was a reminder that not every economy has the same values system. This understanding becomes particularly clear when traveling abroad. Not only is this true for different countries around us, but Scripture also makes it clear that God's economy for greatness and what is valuable is much different than the world's economy.
The truth that God's economy is different than the rest of the world is evidenced by the birth of Jesus. Luke 2 tells us that Jesus was born during a time when the Roman emperor required that a census be taken throughout the entire Roman empire, including the nation of Israel. Because of this census, Mary and Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem from their home in Galilee to be included in this census. During their time in Bethlehem, Mary gave birth to Jesus. At that time, and even today, members of royalty or people of importance were given the best possible circumstances to give birth and be born. This was not the case with Jesus. The town of Bethlehem was likely so crowded because of the census requirements that Mary and Joseph could not find a place to stay, even at the house of one of their relatives who lived in Bethlehem. Instead of plush circumstances, Mary and Joseph stayed in what we would call a stable, or a place where animals were kept, and that is where Jesus was born. Imagine the King of Kings being placed in a feeding trough rather than an actual bed. This was the place, and these were the circumstances Jesus was born into, by God's design. Clearly, God's economy is different than the rest of the world's.
When Jesus came, He changed the world forever and showed us what is truly valuable. While for many, kingship means wealth and increased social status, among many other things, God is not concerned about these things of the earth. Instead, Jesus, the Son of God, the King of Kings, spent His first night sleeping in a feeding trough for animals and came to give up His life on behalf of others. This is the upside-down economy of God. This new economy is based on service, sacrifice, and love. May you and I begin to learn this new economy and love, serve, sacrifice, and show Christ to everyone around us.
God's economy of what is important and valuable is often quite different than the world's value system. Pull out your journal and write about God's economy. What is of greatest value in His economy? How is God's economy different than the world's? How can you personally take steps to live according to God's economy rather than the world's?
Read Luke 2:1-7 (NLT)
At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.
And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.
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