He Looks Nothing Like Me!

I as most people love this time of year. There are so many things that help make this the most wonderful time of the year...The music, the lights, the food, family, the cheer and even the movies. I was watching my favorite "Christmas Story" movie titled The Nativity recently and thought of something as I watched it. Let me first say that if you have never seen this movie, I highly recommend it. To me, it is the best Christmas movie that tells of the true meaning of Christmas.
As I watched the scene where Mary is giving birth, all of the attention is given to her and the one that is about to be born, but then I noticed Joseph. There he sat, by her side assisting her, loving her, caring for her during this painful yet promising time. As the baby Jesus was delivered, Joseph took that small child and held him up and looked at him. I humorously thought to myself that a funny line to add to this scene would have been Joseph says to Mary, "He looks nothing like me"? As I thought of that statement, I thought how true it was. There was no way that Jesus could take on the characteristics of Joseph, Jesus wasn't Joseph's biological baby. There was no way that Jesus would take on the mannerisms of Joseph, talk like Joseph or even look like Joseph. This is when I realized that this was not not God's plan. God's plan was not at all for Jesus to look like Joseph but His real plan was for Joseph to look like Him!
That's it! That's what Christmas is all about. That God Himself would come down and take on the form of a man so that you and I would take on His characteristics. That we would walk like Him, talk like Him and most importantly look like Him in a world that doesn't know Him! The Apostle Paul said in Ephesians 5:1-2...Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children and walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us. He also said in Romans 12 that we as Christians are to be transformed into His likeness.
As I am writing this today, I am so glad that God chose not to look like me because if He did, He wouldn't be so good to look at. I am though forever grateful that He chose to give not only me but each and everyone of us and opportunity to look just like Him...if we would only choose to do so!

Be CHRISTmas...Pastor John