The Highway Less Traveled

Christmas marks the beginning of the greatest story ever told. God, the Creator of the universe, chose to make us in His image—allowing us, though lower than the angels, to fellowship with Him. He made us to be in relationship with Him, with the promise that one day we would be able to see Him in all His glory.

But before we could behold His majesty, He chose to come to us first—not in a blaze of glory, but in the humblest way imaginable. Christmas reminds us that God became one of us. The Son of God was also the Son of Man, born in a lowly manger. This was no ordinary birth; this was the beginning of the most extraordinary story in the history of the world—the Incarnation of Christ.

The story of Christmas is well-known: the star that led the Magi, the angels who sang to the shepherds, and the flight to Egypt to escape King Herod’s wrath. Yet, amid the grandeur of these events, we must not forget the significance of the manger. God chose the humblest of beginnings, a feeding trough, to reveal His arrival. It is here that we encounter the paradox of our faith: the King of Kings, the Creator of the universe, began His earthly journey not in a royal palace, but in a place meant for animals—a symbol of the humility that would characterize His entire life.

At Christmas, we celebrate the Light that entered the world, dispelling the darkness of sin and death. But this Light came not in a grand display, but in the most unexpected form—a child, lying in a manger. God’s plan of redemption began in this humble place, revealing that His kingdom is not of earthly power, but of self-giving love. The ultimate gift was not the gold, frankincense, and myrrh brought by the wise men, but the gift of God’s presence with us in Jesus, the Savior of the world.

As we celebrate Christmas, let us reflect on the humility of Christ. He, who is above all things, chose to lower Himself for our sake. He entered this world not with power and wealth, but as a child in a manger. This humble beginning points us to the cross, where He would give His life for the salvation of all who believe.

The Manger: A Symbol of Humility and Purpose
The manger is more than just a setting for the birth of Christ. It is a profound symbol of God’s humility and His purpose in coming to us. The word “manger” comes from the French “manger,” meaning "to eat," and in the time of Jesus, it was a trough used for feeding animals. The first bed for the Son of God was a place meant for scraps, not for royalty. But in this humble setting, the King of Kings lay.

Luke’s account highlights the significance of the manger. The angel tells the shepherds, “You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger” (Luke 2:12). This was no accident or misfortune—it was part of God’s plan. The manger was the sign. God chose to be with us in this lowly way, and through it, He calls us to humility as well.

The Manger Was Dirty
The first bed of the Son of God was not pristine or royal but a feeding trough for animals. There’s no sugar-coating this—Jesus began His life in the most humble of circumstances, showing that greatness in God’s kingdom is not about outward appearances. In Philippians 2:7-8, it says, “He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!” Jesus' journey to the cross began with the humility of the manger.

The Manger Was Planned
The birth of Jesus was not by chance. God had prepared the world for this moment for centuries. The prophet Micah foretold that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem: “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” (Micah 5:2). God orchestrated every detail—from the census to the timing of the Magi’s visit—so that His Son would be born exactly where and when He was meant to be. Jesus was born in Bethlehem as prophesied, and God ensured that the sign of His birth would be unmistakable.

The Manger Was a Sign
The manger was a sign to the shepherds that the Savior had come. No other king in the world would have been found in such a place. Yet, this was the sign: the Savior of the world was lying in a feeding trough, signaling that God’s kingdom is one of humility and grace. As the angel told the shepherds, “This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger” (Luke 2:12). The King of Glory, the Creator of the universe, chose to reveal Himself in a way that would surprise all but the most humble.

The Manger Was Glorious
In the midst of the humble setting, the heavens erupted in praise: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests” (Luke 2:14). The glory of God was revealed not through wealth or power but through the humbling act of sending His Son into the world in such an unexpected way. The contrast between His humility and the angels’ praise underscores the magnitude of the gift that was given.

The Manger Is the Way of Discipleship
The angel did not appear to kings or the learned, but to humble shepherds. They were the ones who would accept the message of the baby in the manger. Jesus calls us to follow Him along a road of humility, just as He did. In Matthew 18:3, Jesus says, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” The shepherds, simple and humble, were the first to receive the message, modeling for us the heart of discipleship—humility and a willingness to receive God’s grace.

The Manger Was Step One on the Calvary Road
The humble manger points to the humility that would lead Jesus all the way to the cross. Philippians 2:6-8 tells us that, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” His humility began in the manger and culminated in the ultimate act of love and sacrifice on the cross.

The Manger: Bread for Life
In the manger, Jesus, the Bread of Life, lay. He was the bread that would nourish us spiritually, bringing eternal life to all who believe in Him. The feeding trough, a place where earthly food was kept, now symbolized the heavenly food that would sustain us forever. On the night before His sacrifice, Jesus broke bread with His disciples, symbolizing His body given for us (Matthew 26:26). The act of giving His body for us was foreshadowed by His humble birth in the manger.

The manger holds more significance than we might first realize. It is where God, in His humility, began His mission to save us. Through His humble birth and ultimate sacrifice, we are offered the Bread of Life, the gift of eternal life with God. As Jesus said in John 6:35, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty.”

Jesus: The Lion and the Lamb
As we await Jesus’ return, let us remember that He is both the Lion and the Lamb. He will return as the righteous Judge, but He first came as the humble Lamb, born in a manger to save us. Christmas is a reminder that God came to be with us in the most humble and profound way. His humility is the heart of the Christmas story, and it is the foundation of the hope we have in Him. Revelation 5:5-6 speaks of Jesus as both the Lion and the Lamb: “Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.’ Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne.”

May the joy of Christmas fill your hearts with wonder, peace, and gratitude as we reflect on the birth of Christ. Emanuel—God is with us, forevermore.