The Rich Became Poor

Think back for a minute to the manger scene. Though most have packed away their crèches, I know at least one person who keeps hers out all year long. Consider the manger that Mary placed baby Jesus in, inside a stable, probably a cave where they took shelter because there was no room in the inn. The donkey, Mary rode on to Bethlehem, and perhaps other animals were already there in the stable. There must have been hay or straw in the manger for the animals to eat, creating a soft bed for baby Jesus who was born there.

Jesus came to earth as a baby, born in such humble surroundings, to teach us the meaning of grace. The King came down to earth to be a human - that is how He was made poor. From His place on high with God, He came to earth to teach us about God's love and how we are to live and how we can be free of our sins. Jesus lived a sinless life so we could see how far from perfect we are. And how much we need a Savior. 

"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich," (2 Corinthians 8:9 NIV).  

Grace, "God's free and unmerited favor for sinful humanity," as defined in my Bible dictionary, is given in the action of Jesus coming to earth as a sinless human. Who had the same temptations we have, only He never sinned. Then He took our sins to the cross and He was nailed there and left to die.

God's grace is ours to claim. Jesus, rich in majesty and power, came as a baby to live a human's life, yet with the power to save us, and He did. All we need to do is believe and trust in Him and we become rich.