The story of Jesus’ birth in a manger isn’t just a sweet scene for a Christmas card—it’s a sermon in straw. Luke 2:7 tells us, “She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger.” Simple. Plain. But not by accident.
God could have chosen a palace or a temple. Instead, He chose a feeding trough. Why? Here are five possible reasons:
1. Because the manger reveals the heart of God. Jesus didn’t come to impress the powerful. He came to dwell among the ordinary. People like you and me.
2. The manger was available. And maybe that’s the whole point. There were no gates to pass through, no guards to get past. Just a quiet place where anyone could come close. The King of kings came to a space that welcomed shepherds, not senators.
3. The manger was a place of nourishment. How fitting that the Bread of Life would be laid where food was placed. One day He would say, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35). He came to satisfy the deepest hunger of the human soul.
4. The manger reminds us—there’s no place He won’t enter. Not even the messiest corners of our world. Not even the most broken pieces of our hearts.
5. It whispers something rare in our noisy world: contentment. Joy isn’t found in luxury, but in love. Not in riches, but in relationships. Christ is enough.
So the next time you picture the manger, don’t see it as small. See it as sacred. The God of the universe wrapped Himself in flesh and chose the lowest place—so He could lift us to the highest.
I’m Lonnie Davis, and these are thoughts worth thinking.