“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,
Yet out of you shall come forth to Me
The One to be Ruler in Israel,
Whose goings forth are from of old,
From everlasting.”
An Obscure King
Have you ever felt forgotten? Unnoticed? Unimportant?
You’re not alone.
When Jesus was born, He entered into human history in one of the smallest towns in all of Israel. There wasn’t even any room for his pregnant mother in the house, so he was born in a stable next to animals.
This was such a stark contrast to Israel’s current king—Herod, who lived in massive palaces and flaunted his wealth. While Herod was living in splendor, the King of all the universe was being born in the humblest of settings and humblest of towns.
But this obscurity brings us hope. Why? Because it shows us the example that He set for us from the beginning.
The Kingdom of God has always been upside-down compared to the culture of the world. Humility instead of grandeur. Serving instead of ruling. Giving instead of acquiring. God showed us the way His Kingdom works by bringing something great out of something small. That’s what this verse reminds us of:
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
Though you are small, out of you will come one who will be ruler over Israel.
Wealth and status aren’t measurements for success in God’s Kingdom. Being part of the Kingdom of God is about trusting that God is writing the story. It’s about remembering that the Kingdom of God has never been like the kingdoms of this world. And it’s also about remembering that, out of small beginnings, God can do great things.
Note after the devotional: the short answer to the questions at the beginning of today's devotional is "yes." The ironic thing was that, in my first few years at the Vineyard, people did connect with me over their figuring that out about me (and it wasn't really anything I cared to broadcast!). For a short while, I was anything but forgotten, unnoticed, or unimportant. But as time went on, those same people eventually treated me as such, almost as if they believed I deserved it. I write the above not with bitterness but rather just honestly answering the question. A common theme that may be arising in some of my commentaries / reflections on some of these devotionals is precisely this topic of being rejected after initially being accepted. I remember during the middle of my years there I found myself unexpectedly alone at Christmas. Certain family members and certain close friends (close enough that I thought we had understood each other as family) had gone ahead making plans to be with others and not informing me until close to the last minute (never mind inviting me to go along).
[To clarify to the reader, I do look back now and realize they had the freedom to do so if they chose. That, and other healing and other life events having happened since have helped me be able to let go and move on from these rejections.]
At the time, though, I remember venting to Jesus about it and what I heard back was: "nobody wanted Me on My birthday, either." In the moment, I thought it odd that He might say something like that, until I made a few more connections:
1.) Jesus' parents were turned away at the inn right before He was due to be born, so he ended up being born in a cave instead.2.) My birthday so happens to be American tax day, which might be the least favorite day of the year of most people in my country. At the time I heard this from Him, I was still in a place where I hoped (and perhaps expected) that every birthday and Christmas would be special for me and everyone around me, so long as we were spending it together.3.) Most poignantly, it was a moment of Him offering deeper connection than I had expected, in that He and I both had something in common in this area, and that He knew what it was like what I was going through.
In a few days I'll expound more on how I've been experiencing God's love in my life in areas where it has continued to be difficult to experience and receive it, but I wanted to share about this devotional and how He has been speaking to me here.
As a (once-professional) musician, I have often dreamed of being more famous than I am now (which is to say, not at all). But as I've gotten older, I've come to appreciate my anonymity, for multiple reasons:
1.) Fame is several kinds of evil: worship of self, worship of money, worship of pleasure, worship of the pride of life. Moreover, especially for children who hit it big, I've seen how the pressures of fame drove them to alcohol and drugs, with quite a few committing suicide by their twenties.
2.) Fame also puts a target on your back. The thought of my own name being known publicly is alluring, but it also raises the stakes, both regarding my conduct as well as regarding my safety. Even in today's society where the world doesn't care what I say or what I do with my life (except for being a Christian, evidently), any famous person has a target on their back if what they say or do that happens to disagree with those in power and word gets back to them (and I'm not just talking about the government! I'm also talking about actors in Hollywood going against the grain being cancelled! And so on.).
3.) Considering also what I've learned about making sure my music-making is for God and Him alone, and considering the corruptness of the Christian music industry (to say nothing of the secular music industry), being considered insignificant might be a good thing. I do believe one day the fruits of God's and my labor will come to the surface and become known, but it is not for me to say when that becomes the case.
4.) Just being a self-identifying Christian AND an American Republican conservative is dangerous. Yes, we are heading into presumably good times where people like me in these regards can be bolder in preaching what we believe on spiritual matters and earthly matters, but I know that eventually the day will come when it will once again be dangerous to speak.
I'm getting off track. The point is, obscurity can be a very good thing. Jesus, the greatest King Who ever lived (and Who will ever live) chose to have come from nothing (despite truly owning everything as Son of God), and whatever He did gain in this life, He gave it all away. He did so because of His love for you and for me. We are in the season of celebrating His life and celebrating His birthday, despite the fact that no one of any report wanted Him on His day when He was ready to be born.
Prayer: Jesus, thank You for coming into the world. You loved me so much that You lowered Yourself to a humble life on earth to have a relationship with me. Help me to live in a way that follows Your example and leads others to know You as a Friend and Savior. In Your name, Amen.