Dear People Who Keep Company With God,

When Christ was born on that first Christmas, in effect, God was saying, “Nobody can change the world. I’m nobody.”

God and Nobodies photoChristmas is about the day God came among us in weakness, obscurity and as nobody. Jesus laid aside His majesty, power and glory and came as a little baby with no reputation (Phil. 2:5-10). 

Think about it, an unwed pheasant teenage girl gave birth to God incarnate and God became what we are so we could become what He is. He was a prince, but willingly accepted the life of being nobody who later rose to have a notable ministry for a few short years. In the end, His followers deserted Him and He died a shameful and violent death.

Christmas is an invitation to turn all of our thoughts and dreams of what success, notoriety, achievements and prosperity are about totally upside-down. It’s about how God entered into all of our weakness, helplessness and need. It’s about finding God and being freed to know Him and join His circle of nobodies.

It is sad but the time will come when you will see your successes; however you define that, fade. They were good and somehow important at the time, but now they don’t move you or anyone else. And to add insult to injury no one but you seem to even remember them!

At the same time, no one and especially you will soon forget your failures. They seem to be held over our heads a lot longer than they should. We all experience failure and if you do not allow your ego to get in the way, you will discover your failures will usher you into the life you crave in the depths of your heart.

Failure can become a place where your heart opens up, where you lose tunnel vision and see life with a greater breadth. It is an opportunity to grow and connect with the Lord and others in a much deeper and meaningful way. Your so-called failures can actually enable you to see your true identity, calling and purpose. Maybe, that is why our failures hang around so long.

From a natural perspective, the Apostle Paul looked like a total failure. After all, he was at the top of the Jewish cultural and religious food chain of his day. That is, until his encounter with Jesus on the Damascus Road (Acts 9). Yet his perspective was anything but that of a failure.

“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.” (Phil. 3:7)

Those ‘things’ Paul was referring to losing was his pedigree, background and accomplishments. Paul willingly laid all this down and became nobody in the world’s eyes. Paul understood the deceptive desire in the heart of man to be a somebody. “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise.” (1 Cor. 3:18)

When we come to God’s terms concerning our success and failures, whether they are natural or spiritual, then we can begin to know the Lord, His righteousness and power in new and transforming ways. We will then begin to experience the deeper and richer fellowship of the nobodies (Phil. 3:8-11).

As Arthur Burt said, “Every somebody will now have to become nobody.”  It is true. It is one of the greatest invitations we will ever receive.

Many Blessings, BW

 

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