From riches to rags
by Chelsea Pietsch
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‘Yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich’ (2 Corinthians 8:9).
When was the last time you were moved by someone’s kindness, either to yourself or others? People are engaged in acts of generosity all of the time if only we have eyes to see.
Have you ever considered God’s generosity towards humankind? His generosity towards you? If we take a short moment to reflect on God’s actions, we will see that his acts of generosity are unmatched.
First and foremost, God acted with generosity when he created the heavens and earth and placed us in it. Unfortunately, however, we ruptured our relationship with God when we insisted on doing things our way. Rather than abandon us to our chosen fate, God acted generously again and sought to reconcile us to himself.
He did this by sending his only son, Jesus Christ, into the world. That meant that Jesus left his place of glory in heaven, mingled his divine nature with the human DNA of his mother, and came into his world in the tiniest form – as an embryo – to be carried through pregnancy and ordinarily born.
If these sacrifices weren’t already enough, Jesus wasn’t born into a family of wealth or status. His mother was young (probably still a teenager), and his foster father was a humble carpenter. He wasn’t born in a hospital or a palace, but rather in a stable for animals. He became poor for our sake.
As a man, Jesus mingled with people of low social esteem and people who were sick (including those who were very infectious). He allowed himself to be bothered both by proud people and by crowds. Despite being the only faultless being who ever walked our earth, Jesus even allowed himself to be betrayed, accused, tortured, and horrifically put to death.
Jesus did all of these things for us, who are anything but perfect. He wanted to ensure that we, whom he loves and created individually and uniquely, could spend eternal paradise with him in glory. How can something as earthy and flawed as people dwell with perfection itself? Well, they can’t. And that is why Christ came, to bridge that massive chasm.
Jesus went from riches to rags, for our sake, so that we could go from rags to riches.
Dear Lord, thank you for taking on human flesh and dying for our sins so that we might be reconciled to you. Give us faith in your word, and help us daily to remember the sacrifices you made for us so that we might give generously of ourselves to others. Amen.
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