They were hard to pick out of the crowd ~ until their names were spoken. Sometimes we can believe that we need to have some grand title or come from a family line of royalty before God would choose us to serve his kingdom. But once again, God’s ways don’t line up with our limited expectations. For instance, the little town of Bethlehem was so small that it didn’t make the cut to qualify as one the tribes of Judah. It was one of those towns that you pass through to get to somewhere else!

But God chose this town to be the epicenter of salvation, the place where the Almighty would make his not-so-grand entrance into our world! God’s choice of Bethlehem teaches us a very valuable lesson. Namely, no one is so insignificant that he or she escapes God’s notice.

This is especially true in the spiritual life as well as when it comes to the impact a person can make on the lives of others. God chose a sleepy town in Judah, a virtuous teenage girl and an ordinary carpenter in Jerusalem to be the leading cast members in the drama of salvation. Do not underestimate the contribution YOU have to make as you accept the call to cooperate with God in spreading the good news about an extraordinary Savior who comes to us in such ordinary ways.