Pioneer Christian Monthly - December, 1981

Editorial
Francis K. Van Mill

While great religious leaders watched and waited for their Messiah to come in glory and power He came to them in helplessness and humility, a baby in a manger.

A stable manger! The dirtiest, lowest, humblest place possible, in fact, a place in which no one would even think of looking for the King of Kings, the Messiah, the Son of God.

This is why so many missed Him.

In His ministry, similarly, He chose to be identified not with the prominent, the respectable, the well-educated or the rich, but with the common, the despised, the ignorant and the poor; fishermen, prostitutes and dishonest public servants; the helpless, the degenerate and the deformed; and in their lives He worked miracles of healing and salvation.

He chose to die, not as do earthly kings with stately cortege, noble music and heads of state in attendance, but alone on a cross, mocked and rejected by men, under the taint of the death penalty. Yet in that ugly death, apparently so tragic and unfitting for a King, is hidden the most glorious, loving act of a great God, the salvation of all who appropriate it in faith.

Today if you would find the King of Kings, if you would see His working through the Spirit, do not look in high places. He may not necessarily be working through that competent soloist who attracts crowds to the church. He may instead be in the tired-looking housewife who obeys Him by singing at church, knowing that her scratchy untrained voice is not as pleasing as that of the soloist. You may be sure that God will honour her offering of obedience. Someone will catch a glimpse of the Spirit of Christ simply from the expression her face.

The Spirit of Christ may not necessarily be present in that attractive, well furnished home where visiting ministers are entertained and many meeting held. He may be in the dark, depressing, anonymous home in the city where all alone someone is yielding his life and problems to the Lord.

The Lord may not really be using that articulate, accomplished pastor or teacher, nor that elder with such a keen, analytical grasp of doctrine. Instead, He may be using that person who, although slow of speech like Moses, or doubting like Gideon, has laid all on the altar of his Lord in obedience.

So, if you would see Jesus, look in the least-expected places.

Look in the humble place.
Look in the manger.