The Least Likely Place (redux)

The Holy Family. I’m talking about none other than the Virgin named Mary, Joseph her husband and the Child called Christ. And I guess the third important lesson the Holy Family affords us (the first lesson in A ‘God’ Thing and the second lesson in Marriage Made in Heaven) is this: Let’s not overlook what God’s doing in the least likely place with the least likely people.

The following quote says it all: “He (the Lord) started the whole adventure of Christianity in Nazareth. Yes, Nazareth. Why Nazareth? Because there He found a woman who was completely yielded to His purpose for her life. Great works of God rarely start in big places. Rather, they start in small places – in some person with a big commitment.” (from “The Christ of Christmas” by Calvin Miller at sermoncentral.com)

Which got me to thinking: Where might Jesus be found if He were on the earth today? Well, of course, He’d be on Larry King, The 700 Club, Fox News or some other media outlet He would use. He would preach at the Crystal Cathedral, Willow Creek and Rick Warren’s church. After all, that’s the way to reach the masses. That’s the way to get the message out. Right? And don’t get me wrong. It’s not like I’m against using all means available to reach people and preach the Gospel. (I’m doing it with social media.) And yet I still think it’s interesting that the Lord chose to come to the planet and be born in a time where there were no cell phones or internet or iPads or Twitter. I think it says a lot when you stop and think when Christ appeared. I mean, if He would have only come in our day, just think! Then the message would spread. After all, we’d be there to help!

A Scripture passage to keep in mind that relates to this third lesson is Isaiah 55:8-9: “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways My ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.'” And did you maybe need to hear this today? (I did.)

And so where’s the least likely place in your experience and sphere of influence? I’m telling you, that’s where Christ is and is at work, if you would only look close enough.