With all the craziness of Christmas, it’s often hard to focus on the real meaning of it all. However, this morning God struck me with this simple, yet profound truth He communicates to the entire human race through the birth of Jesus…

God came to earth in the form of a person.

In the Old Testament, God came in forms such as a burning bush, ultimate glory, a voice, angels…all things that are pretty cool if you believe in Him and pretty scary if you don’t. But the New Testament was the start of something…new.

Its like God was saying…I don’t want to overwhelm you with my power and authority anymore (although I still have it)…I want to win you over with my love and grace and forgiveness through a relationship. 

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means God with us.” Matthew 1:23

And then it really hit me…

God came to earth in the form of a person and He still does.

We often think God shows up only in BIG ways or during “religious” activities such as church or Bible study, however, most often people meet Jesus through…other people.

A wise woman I know says…

“I’ve never met someone who loves Jesus who wasn’t first loved by someone who loves Jesus.”

This has been true for my life and perhaps yours as well. There are so many misconceptions out there about God (and sadly sometimes they are validated by religion), its important for us to remember that sometimes the easiest way for another person to meet God is simply through…another person.

When someone simply loves them as Jesus does.

“All people will know that you are my followers if you love each other.” John 13:35

It is in these relationships that people who don’t know God hopefully come to see that He is kind and loving and full of grace and not at all intimidating or punishing.

That He is for you and not against you.

So as we celebrate the birth of Jesus and the fact that God entered into our hearts and world as one of us, remember that you could be the very way someone experiences the love of Jesus this Christmas.

Because God came to earth in the form of a person.

And He still does.

(photo from Young Life’s Frontier Ranch Camp this summer)

These Young Life leaders have taught me how to love like Jesus and the woman beside me has especially loved me into loving Jesus.