“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,
Yet out of you shall come forth to Me
The One to be Ruler in Israel,
Whose goings forth are from of old,
From everlasting.”
The prophet Micah prophesied during a time of spiritual and moral decay among the people of Israel. They had bought into idolatry and turned their backs on the God of their salvation. In so doing, they had also turned on themselves – establishing greater divisions and internal discord that resulted in Ephrathah being seen as one of the most marginalized communities of Judah.
Yet, though Bethlehem of Ephrathah is regarded as least among the thousands within Judah, the Holy One of all creation was made flesh from among them. Truly the least among you shall be the greatest.
If we are preparing to see Jesus, we must also see this reality – and see it in the context of our Society. We have little regard for the poor. We have little regard for the marginalized communities of American Society…of the world.
At best: we placate them, blessing them with toxic charity that does more harm than good.
Jesus chose to be made flesh from among the least of these for a reason. Nothing that He did was without purpose. If we are preparing to see Jesus, we must become familiar with his kinfolk: the marginalized and poor around us – for they are His brothers and sisters.
How often do you consider the little people among the thousands and millions of powerful people around you? How often do you serve the marginalized, as if you were serving Jesus Christ?
