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While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. Luke 2:6-7

Our culture attempts to secularise Christmas through Santa Claus, Christmas trees, gift-giving and the like. These festive icons fail miserably in helping us understand the core meaning of Christmas. It is about the Lord Jesus, clothed in humility, going from riches to rags. 2 Corinthians 8:9 says that though He was rich, He became poor for our sake. 

Jesus deserved to be born in the most splendid royal palace. On the contrary, He was born in a manger and wrapped in rags. Instead of dignitaries, celebrities and the media, He was greeted by shepherds, who had no social standing in those days. The stable was likely cold, damp, smelly and unsanitary. The circumstances surrounding the birth of the Creator were undergirded by humility. 

It takes humility to understand humility. Christmas is a good time to pause and reflect on humility. The scripture requires that our attitude should be like Christ Jesus, “Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking on the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on the cross” (Philippians 2:6-8).

This Christmas season, let us marvel at Christ’s humility and desire more of it for ourselves. Humility is the easiest way the world can see Christ in us. 

Let us learn to understand riches to rags by:

• Praising God who showed this concept through the birth of His precious Son, Jesus Christ.
• Asking God to help you clothe yourself with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5).