God sent his Son Jesus to be born into this world as a human baby, but not just any baby. This baby was sent on a mission to save the world. If Jesus were to be successful, He would need to know the humans way from the ground up. God really knew what He was doing.

God put Jesus among us as a baby in a family that was not poor and not rich, but as close to the middle as you could get. This way Jesus had a chance to speak to everybody. It didn’t slow Him down to have an earthly father who was a carpenter. You would think Jesus would be a carpenter, and be out there meeting all kinds of people. He met lots of people as a Jewish boy growing up and going to His local place to worship at a synagogue.

If Jesus were to save people from the sins they do daily, He had to go out to where sin was and meet it head on. He had to understand how humans were faced with temptations that were plain to see, as well as those that kind of creep up on people. Some people really got upset when Jesus spent time with those who sinned right in other people’s faces. They seemed not to care who knew what they were doing.

It’s a funny thing that Jesus seemed to be most successful with the people everybody else considered hopelessly lost and worthless human trash. Maybe they just needed somebody to care for them.

Jesus had a wonderful way to save people–and explain to people–just what being a Christian is all about. He told stories, parables, that were so attention getting and holding. He knew about carpentry from growing up as he learned this important and basic skill. He knew about fishing from being out among fishers. He knew about being a shepherd by spending time around them, their sheep, and learning how well they knew each other. All His parables were about things he knew about. His ways had to be so common, and yet drew people to Him. So many trusted and followed Him.

That’s why we know about Him today. There must be something to this being somewhere between poor and rich. I know it’s a blessing to have all I need, and all the wants I receive from God are icing on my cake.

Mary C. Albertson

Albany, Kentucky