But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 

Luke 2:10-12

Have you ever heard someone say, “Were you born in a barn?” It’s usually a playful (but sometimes frustrated) remark made when someone leaves a door open or neglects to close something correctly. The saying points to the idea of a person not having manners or not paying attention to the little details that matter with the implication that barns are cold, drafty, and not the most ideal place for a person to be born among the dirt and animals. 

During this season of Christmas, we are reminded that Jesus was, in fact, born in a barn – a stable – a humble, ordinary place, far from where we would imagine the birthplace for the King of kings. In this most humble of settings, the Savior of the world was placed in a feeding trough … a manger … when He made His entrance into humanity. This unexpected setting is rich with meaning for us today.

As we take a few moments to reflect on the significance of this most modest of beginnings, the significance is profound. 

Jesus’ birth in the stable with a manger as a cradle was no accident. It wasn’t about being “born in a barn” for simplicity or poverty. It was more deliberate than that. God allowed His Son to enter this world in a way that made it clear that the Kingdom of God doesn’t operate like the kingdoms of this world. His kingdom is not about wealth, power, or privilege. His kingdom is about humility, service, and love.

Through the lowly circumstances of His birth, Jesus demonstrated that He could relate to ordinary people. That he could understand their brokenness, challenges, and struggles. He didn’t wait for the perfect circumstances. His birth was a miracle in the midst of a mess. Our mess, our imperfections, and our need. And that is the heart of the message – Jesus entered the world as one of us, sharing in our humanity and not as a distant, untouchable king.

Isn’t this what we need? A Savior who is near, who is accessible, and who understands the struggles of ordinary, everyday life. A Prince of Peace whose love and grace covers us all. 

Sometimes you may feel like you’re not good enough or that your circumstances are too messy for God to make a difference. But the birth of Jesus reminds us that God can take the most ordinary places, the humblest beginnings, and turn them into something extraordinary. No matter how scarred or imperfect our lives appear, God can and will come into our hearts and work through each of us.

The message of Christmas — the message of Jesus being born in a barn — is that God is near. Because He is near, we can come to Him with our worries, our doubts, our sorrows, and our insecurities as well as, our joys and our triumphs. No matter where we are and no matter who we are, Jesus is accessible to us all.

When you’re feeling insignificant or facing difficulties, remember the light of God shines brightest during our darkest times. If God could step into a barn in Bethlehem long ago and change the world, imagine what He can do in the “barns” of our own lives today.

Merry Christmas to all!