Small...but by no means least.

Arkansas population ranks #33 out of 56 states. (Where the hay did 56 come from?)

Arkansas…though you are small some notable people came from you.

-         Johnny Cash

-         Bill Clinton

-         Paul “Bear” Bryant

Cash, Clinton, and Bear!…Arkansas, you may be small but are by no means least!

But you, Bethlehem…though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.  Micah 5:2 (approx. 700BC)

But you, Bethlehem…are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.  Matthew 2:6

The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem put them on the map so to say...small in size but great in significance.

-         How many reasons do we use to justify our insignificant view of our life?

-         I’m this or I’m that, I’m only so and so…It's not like I'm so and so, I'm just me.  :(

Try seeing yourself through this today instead…

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 

Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory  Ephesians 1:3, 13

God’s purpose in all this was to use the church (all believers!) to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.  This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.  3:10-11

     Jesus’ residence in your life changes an insignificant existence into significant…for today, through faith, in you lives King Jesus, the Babe of Christmas.

Lessons from Mary

Did you ever notice how excited the angel was when telling Mary that life as she knew it was over?  (Luke 1:28)

GREETINGS, YOU WHO ARE HIGHLY FAVORED!  THE LORD IS WITH YOU!

And He’s about to flip your world upside down!

This maybe a different side of the story that you’ve never considered…

-         but it seems as if the angel is either insensitive to Mary’s feelings

-         or knows something that far outweighs the loss Mary will experience

Either way, Mary’s world is shaken and emotions had to run wild…she probably went to Ehow.com to find out "how to hold back the tears."

 "We've all been in a situation where we suddenly feel compelled to cry. Your breathing intensifies, your heart sinks and water is welling your eyes. But no matter the reason why you want to cry, sometimes it's just not an opportune time. Here are some tips on how to hold back tears."

1.      Pinch yourself on your inner thigh.  By pinching yourself, you are moving the focus of your body's pain to another location.  Just don't pinch so hard that you leave a bruise!

2.      Hold your breath. If you concentrate on your breathing, you can literally stop those tears from flowing.

3.      Bite your lower lip. Like pinching, this re-focuses your body's attention.

4.      Let out a ferocious yell.  One way to release those negative emotions is to give a good scream. Excuse yourself from the situation and let it out in private. You'll feel much better.

5.      Start laughing. By forcing yourself to release that sorrow in another form, you'll hold back the tears. However, note that this might not always be the most appropriate action.

Mary was obviously dissatisfied with Ehow.com and instead placed all her emotions into worshiping God in song…

And Mary said, “My soul glorifies the Lord…”  (Luke 1:46)

In life’s most overwhelming moments, the greatest good we can do to minimize our trouble is to glorify our Lord.