So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations. – Matthew 1:17
Have you ever thought to yourself, “How many people did it take to make that happen?” I often wonder this when looking at a skyscraper, a long bridge, an airplane, or even an iPhone! When you really think about it, everything from the food we eat to the medicine we take required many people doing their job so that we could experience a good meal or the cure to an infection.
Most of us just skip the first passage of Matthew 1 when we read “genealogy.” This is the passage immediately preceding the birth story of Jesus. But when you really think about it, Jesus’ lineage was a long line of faithful saints (some not always so faithful!) who had no idea that their lives would be used by God to bring about the salvation of the world through the birth of the Messiah!
Sometimes we wonder how the little things we do in life make a difference. Going to work, learning in school, building or creating something, etc. It’s easy to get lost in the day-to-day routine. I’m sure people like Perez and Zadok from Matthew chapter 1, felt the same way! But their lives mattered. And our lives matter too! God uses us to bring about His plan in the world. We may not always see or understand how our part of the divine puzzle works, but if we will put our hope and trust in Christ, God can use each one of us to do his work.
So, when you are caught in a rut or the mundane parts of the holiday season – don’t forget that God used people just like you and me to bring the greatest gift of all to earth. Who knows, maybe what you do today will help bring someone closer to experiencing Jesus for the first time!
Dear God, use me to bring love and hope and joy to the people around me today. Let my life show the love of Jesus to every person I encounter. – Amen.
Rev. Phil Greenwald, Executive Pastor of Administration
