Do Not Glory In Your Family Background

The very coming of Jesus to earth from the glory of Heaven is in itself a marvelous demonstration of His humility. But we are told that, even "as a man He humbled Himself" (Philippians. 2:8). He was "made like His brethren in every respect" (Hebrews 2:17), He took His place before God as all other men. He became nothing so that God might be everything. This is true humility.

Worldly glory and greatness are measured by a person's position, wealth, accomplishments, family status, etc. But how different is the glory of God as seen in Jesus Christ!

Jesus was the only person ever born who had the opportunity to choose the family into which he was to be born. None of us had that choice.

Which family did Jesus choose? An unknown carpenter's family from a place called Nazareth, of which town people said, "Can any good come from there?" (John 1:46). Joseph and Mary were so poor that they could not even afford to offer a lamb as a burnt offering to God (Luke 2:22-24 with Leviticus 12:8).

Further, Jesus was the only person ever born, who could choose exactly where he would be born. Having the opportunity to determine the place of His birth, which place did He choose? A cattle feed trough in a lowly stable!

Notice further, the family-line that Jesus chose for Himself. Four women are named in the family-tree of Jesus, mentioned in Matthew 1:3-6. The first one, Tamar had a son through committing adultery with her father-in-law, Judah. The second one, Rahab, was a well-known prostitute in Jericho.

The third one, Ruth, was a descendant of Moab, who was born as a result of a drunken Lot committing incest with his own daughter. The fourth one was Uriah's wife, Bathsheba, with whom David committed adultery.

Why did Jesus choose such a shameful family-line to come through? It was in order that He could identify Himself totally with Adam's fallen race. In this we see His humility. He did not desire any pride of family or genealogy.

Jesus identified Himself totally with man. He believed in the essential equality of all human beings, irrespective of race, family, position in life, etc., and became one with the least and lowest in the social strata. He came below all, that He might be the servant of all. It is only the one who gets beneath others who is able to lift them up. And it is with this attitude of humility that Jesus came to earth and became part of a family... The Holy family in which feast day we celebrate today.