DIFFERENT

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.  Isaiah 53:3

Christmas is a time when little children love to hear the story called Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, written by Robert L. May. It tells a sad story of a little reindeer who was blessed with a bright red-light nose. It made him different than anyone else; thus, other reindeer laughed and called him names. They would not allow Rudolph to join them in their play. He felt pitifully alienated.

Jesus Christ was different also. He was not the regal king that the Jews were expecting. He was born in a lowly way and was raised by a carpenter. When He began His public ministry, many rejected and despised Him. Even though He was the chosen Messiah, He would still be despised and rejected in the future.

Rudolph ended up saving the day by leading the team of reindeer on a Christmas Eve in a blizzard, all by using that wonderful red-lit nose. This is only a fictional feel-good story to let us know that it is okay to be different. God can use each of us with our unique differences.   

It was way more than okay that Jesus was different. He was identifiable to the common, poor man. He felt grief and sorrow, just like us. He knew temptation, but He was perfect in every way. He never knew sin, yet He took our sins upon His shoulders. Isaiah 53:11 says,  The righteous one, my servant, shall make many righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.

You see, Jesus Christ came to save the day, forever. Mankind was caught and blinded in the blizzard of sin, but He  lit the way to our path of salvation. In His differentness, He was able to fulfill God’s plan of redemption. Take time to read all of Isaiah 53, and then go to the New Testament to see how Jesus fit the bill for all of the prophecy concerning Emmanuel, the Messiah.

Jesus was different, and you may feel as if you are also. You may feel pitifully alienated, but Christ loves you just the way you are and has a perfect plan for you. In fact, He says you are blessed. Matthew 5:3 says, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Come to Him this Christmas season--His love is for all, even for all of us rejects. He will remove our self-made labels and replace it with “Adopted Child of God.”

Now I ask this question, “Will you reject Him?” Give yourself a gift this Christmas--open His merciful gift of grace and accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

Dear Father God, Thank you for accepting this reject and loving me, just the way I am. Through Christ Jesus, Amen.