Scripture

Our verse for today comes from Luke 2:9, “And, lo, the angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.”

Background

I heard a guy on the radio who said that his house had been broken into recently. But of all the electronics and valuables that could have been stolen, the only thing the burglar took was his laptop. Not his flat-screen television or his expensive sound system or his iPad or his iPhone. Oh, and he also stole his cologne. The thief smashed in this man’s front door for a laptop and a bottle of Eternity. Not exactly your ordinary heist. So the victim said on the radio that if anyone notices a man whose demeanor and appearance don’t quite match his sweet-smelling aroma, then he might be the suspect. I’m assuming that the shepherds watching their flocks during the night of Jesus’ birth hadn’t just come from the spa. Odds are they spent most of their time in the fields with the sheep, and they probably didn’t look or smell overly fresh. So when an angel showed up, shining with the glory of the Lord, he probably stood out a bit more than a robber sporting stolen goods from his trunk while wearing some nice cologne. He obviously was out of place and there for a specific purpose.

Application

Christmas brings a lot of people across our paths. Most of them blend in and barely get noticed. But occasionally someone is out of place enough to demand our attention. When the angel appeared, the unsuspecting shepherds responded with fear. Shining beings that appear out of nowhere don’t belong on a hillside where sheep graze. And when we encounter our individual who seems misplaced, we, too, can respond with fear. We don’t shudder and scream, but we avoid or ignore. But could that person be there for a specific purpose? Could he be out of place at just the right place for you or me? Christmas is a lot of things to most people. That’s because it’s a product of the ultimate thing, God’s gift to mankind for eternal salvation. And there’s no limit as to how that can be expressed or shared. So for now, don’t look at someone as out of place. Draw near enough to check out their cologne.

Charge

As we seek Him today, ask God to direct your path to someone who seems out of place. Look for an opportunity to take part in God’s great glory.

Salvation – Eternal Life in Less Than 150 Words