"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us."

John 1:14a (NIV

God left heaven for you. That sentence should stop us in our tracks every single time. The Creator of galaxies chose to become a helpless baby. He traded infinite power for the weakness of human flesh.

The word "became" changes everything about Christmas. In Greek, it's egeneto, meaning He actually became flesh. This wasn't God pretending to be human for a while. He didn't wear humanity like a costume He could remove. Jesus fully entered our condition, with all its vulnerability and pain.

Think about what Jesus gave up to reach you. He went from commanding angels to needing His mother's milk. He exchanged timelessness for the limitations of a human body. He left a place with no tears for a world drowning in them. Tim Keller writes, "God does not reach us by shouting instructions. He crosses over. He comes to us." That crossing cost Him everything.

Grace doesn't send a card from a safe distance. Grace shows up in person, ready to get messy. Grace doesn't wait for you to clean up first. Grace enters your chaos while you're still broken, still struggling, still failing. That's the scandal: God came close when we deserved distance.

So where are you keeping grace at arm's length? Who have you written off because they're too difficult or messy? What relationship are you avoiding because it costs too much? If God didn't protect Himself from your mess, why are you protecting yourself from others? The incarnation calls you to enter, not to observe from safety.

Godseekers, Christmas is your invitation to scandalous love. You can show up in someone's brokenness this season because Christ showed up in yours. You can cross the gap because He crossed an infinite one first. Stop sending cards when God is calling you to become flesh-and-blood grace. Enter the mess, just like Jesus entered yours.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, You are the God who comes close, not distant. We worship You for leaving heaven's glory to enter our broken world. Forgive us for keeping grace at a safe distance from difficult people. Give us courage to cross the gaps we've created this Christmas season. Help us remember that You didn't wait for us to deserve Your presence. Make us brave enough to enter someone's mess the way You entered ours. Show us who needs incarnational love, not just kind words from afar. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Personal Reflection

1. Who in my life have I been avoiding because their situation feels too messy or uncomfortable for me to enter?
2. What would it look like for me to "become flesh" (show up in person) rather than keeping my grace distant this Christmas?

Step of Faith

Today, I will identify one person whose mess I've been avoiding and take one concrete step to show up in their reality with incarnational presence.