The Great “lowly” One
Do you see yourself as great? Maybe that is not the best idea.
Why? Because God resists the proud and uses the lowly. In order to be truly great, you must do what the Great One did.
I am not referencing Wayne Gretzky, Lionel Messi, Tom Brady or Steph Curry. All four of these athletes are recognized as the greatest to ever play their respective sport, yet all of them have noticeable weaknesses.
They are not giant in size. They are gifted, but in ways that make people marvel. Their success required unseen gifts, talent or skill to arise and shine. They are not jumping over or running through opponents with strength or athleticism. I don’t know each of these athletes relationship with Jesus, but I do know that relationship will be their greatest victory ever.
As great as these men are, who did God choose to use to display the Great One? A lowly little girl named Mary! In her own words she reveals to us why God chose her!
Mary’s attitude was not complicated. She had full faith and confidence in God, but was lowly in her own eyes. After the angel left her, she magnified God who had regarded her lowly state and entrusted her with this great task.
“My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name.” Luke 1:46-50 NIV
Mary shows us that those who are small and poor in their own eyes are valuable to God, and He cares about them. All He is looking for is faith! Mary was neither a queen nor nobility; nevertheless God chose her. Throughout her life she had shown that she regarded God as everything and herself as nothing. This is the kind of person God wants to use! He saw Mary’s humble attitude, and she became the mother of Jesus. She had the right attitude.
God is always in the details. If you are having trouble seeing God, then try looking through your eyes of faith instead. Quit looking for God to ride up on a white stallion. He prefers the lowly!
In Matthew 21, a chapter titled “Triumphant Entry”, God demonstrates who He loves to show up on! I think the King James says it best.
“Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, Meek, and sitting upon an ass, And a colt the foal of an ass.” Matthew 21:2-5 KJV
A lowly donkey, meek and lowly in the eyes of everyone. Donkeys, are as lowly as it comes in the world’s eyes. They are anything but noble in appearance, sound, or athleticism, yet God chose to use a lowly donkey to bring into the game the Great One, Jesus!
God actually called His shot way back before that day through his prophet Zechariah.
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.”
Zechariah 9:9 KJV
Did you happen to catch that Zechariah was not talking about the Donkey being lowly? He said Jesus would show up lowly!
Have you ever seen the back of a donkey? If you were to look closely, what would you see? You would see a cross! Jesus was placed on the cross of a lowly donkey on His way to the cross for you and me.
Upon that cross the disciples placed their clothes for Jesus to ride in on. In order for our lowly talents and gifts to be used mightily, we are to place them on the cross for Jesus to ride in on!
“The disciples went and did exactly what Jesus told them to do. They led the donkey and colt out, laid some of their clothes on them, and Jesus mounted. Nearly all the people in the crowd threw their garments down on the road, giving him a royal welcome.” Matthew 21:6-9 MSG
Did you notice that after the disciples placed their clothes down for Jesus, that the crowd followed and threw their clothes down too? What a great example of how we are to model our Savior in order to influence others to do the same!
Don’t forget that Jesus triumphant entry is lowly and His path to the cross was the ultimate sacrifice, but also never forget that He arose a Champion over death, hell, and the grave, and that He will return a Victor on a White Stallion as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords again someday soon!
Why would Jesus choose the lowly to demonstrate His might?
“Powerful princes he tears from their thrones and he lifts up the lowly to take their place.” Luke 1:52 TPT
Who are we to ask why? Instead we are called to do what Mary and Jesus disciples did, OBEY! Obedience unlocks Favor! Obedience unlocks the Glory that God has placed inside you in the Holy Spirit to do mighty things through you!
Obedience allows God to take a lowly person like you and me, that is not any more noble than a donkey, and make them a mighty champion capable of doing greater things than anyone can even dream or imagine.
So during this Christmas season, the New Year and throughout 2023, remember to be lowly, place your clothes, gifts, and talents on the cross. Through this act of obedience, you are surrendering your future to God so that He may to great and mighty things in and through you for His Glory!
Photo by Christopher Alvarenga on Unsplash