No Room at the Inn

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 

Luke 2:6-7

Mary gave birth in a barn, without anyone around except her husband and the animals. She knew she was giving birth to the Savior, and I can only imagine that she must have been a little perplexed. Why would God allow His Son to be born here? Why wouldn’t He have the best hotel in town, with a mid-wife and new baby clothes and a soft and comfortable crib?  He was, after all, a miraculous birth with a tremendous mission.

But at that time, there was no room in the inn. No one could find a place for the King. Certainly they did not know that they were turning away a King.

The Gospel of John speaks of this lack of awareness by the world: “And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” (John 1:5)

But Jesus always took a lesser role than would be expected of a King. Throughout His earthly ministry, he was constantly surprising people: He rode a borrowed donkey into the city on Palm Sunday; He had to borrow a room to celebrate His last Passover; He worked as a carpenter; He had very few material possessions to His name. But, His willingness to take a lowly state showed humility to the world, and it was this exact approach that made a difference in the lives of the poor and needy around Him. Not only the financially poor, but the poor in Spirit.

By coming in such a lowly state, Jesus demonstrated that He came for every man, for every woman. Had He been born into wealth and luxury, surrounded by servants and with every need attended to, so many people would not have felt that they were worthy of Him. So many people would not have even had physical access to Him. 

But, He was available from His first moments on planet earth. Isaiah 9:6 emphasizes this accessibility: “For unto us a Child is born. Unto us, a Son is given …”  He wasn’t given to a select few; He was given to us.

The shepherds knew that He came for them. Anyone who walked by the barn where He lay could have come to see Him. At His birth, He was accessible to all, just as He was throughout His earthly life and ministry.

Are we willing to take a more lowly position, if it means that we might reach someone for the Kingdom? I don’t know that I always am willing to do this. I often feel entitled to something better, something more.

But, if the Savior of the world, the King of Kings, could be born in a barn and placed in a feeding trough for animals, in order to make Himself available to each of us personally, I certainly can take a lesser place too.

May we see ourselves as the sinners that we are, and may we see Jesus as the King that He is. Might our eyes be opened to the amazing work we can do, if only we are willing to play a lesser role in the eyes of the world, serving those around us in humility and grace, that they might see Jesus in us.