"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us."
John 1:14 (NIV)
God moved into the worst neighborhood imaginable. He didn't wait for humanity to clean up before showing up. He entered a world stained by sin, broken by rebellion, filled with suffering. Jesus came to people who would mock Him, reject Him, and crucify Him. Yet He chose to be our neighbor anyway.
The phrase "dwelt among us" literally means He pitched His tent here. He didn't commute from heaven to visit occasionally on weekends. He didn't build a mansion in the nice part of town. He set up camp right in the middle of our mess. He became accessible, touchable, knowable to broken people who didn't deserve His presence.
This is where most of us get Christmas grace completely wrong. We think being gracious means inviting people into our perfect, polished spaces. We wait until our lives look good before we open our doors. We keep our distance from messy people until they get it together. But that's the opposite of what Jesus did. He moved into our chaos, not away from it.
Think about who you're avoiding this Christmas because they're too uncomfortable. That awkward coworker no one invites to gatherings. That difficult relative everyone dreads seeing. That struggling friend whose problems feel overwhelming. That lonely neighbor who talks too much. Jesus chose proximity to people exactly like them. He chose proximity to people exactly like you.
Here's the question that should wreck your comfortable Christmas plans. If Jesus left heaven's perfection to enter your broken reality, can you leave your comfortable space to enter someone else's? If God became your neighbor when you were unlovable, who is He calling you to neighbor this season? Stop waiting for people to deserve your presence.
Godseekers, incarnational love means choosing uncomfortable proximity. It means inviting that person everyone else excludes into your imperfect celebration. It means showing up at the nursing home, the hospital, the lonely apartment. It means being present in someone's mess this Christmas, not because they've earned it, but because Jesus was present in yours. Move toward need, not away from it.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, You are the God who chose to be our neighbor. We worship You for not keeping Your distance from our brokenness. Thank You for moving into our neighborhood when we were undeserving and unlovable. Forgive us for avoiding uncomfortable proximity with people who need grace. Give us eyes to see the lonely, the difficult, the excluded. Help us remember that You didn't wait for us to clean up. Make us brave enough to invite messy people into our imperfect lives. Show us who needs a neighbor this Christmas season. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Personal Reflection
- Who is the "uncomfortable person" I've been avoiding or excluding, and what would incarnational presence look like with them this Christmas?
- What fears or excuses keep me from choosing proximity to people who are messy, difficult, or different from me?
Step of Faith
Today, I will identify one person who is likely to be alone or excluded this Christmas season and take concrete action to invite them into my life, mess and all.
