DO NOT BE AFRAID

(This is a 8-minute read)

Gifting is a relational ritual many of us observe for birthdays, anniversaries, or Christmas. Since the start of Covid-19, many people have also been sending each other gifts of food for no other reason than to brighten someone’s day. The giving of gifts between family and friends differentiates itself from donations and transactional exchanges in that it operates within the context of an existing relationship where the giver and the recipient are known to each other. At the same time, it is also a social exchange where the reciprocity that is engendered serves to strengthen the interpersonal connection between the giver and the receiver, even as the ritual is repeated for different reasons. Having said that, not all of us like the hassle of gifting nor do we understand the relational nuances embedded in it, but if we stop treating it as a needless exchange and see it as a manner of human connection, we will all become better gifters and receivers.

God is our model for giving in that His gifts always make the receiver a better person. He alone is the ultimate Gifter because there is nothing we can give Him that can be considered a gift to Him. Receiving a gift from God is both a recognition of His sovereignty and of our dependence on Him.

As Christmas approaches and we think of people who will be receiving gifts from us, let’s turn our attention to three instances, before the first Christmas, when God gave the most unusual gifts that came with the warning, ‘Do Not Be Afraid’.

Gift 1 - For Joseph

The birth of Jesus is a familiar Christmas story that is played out in churches all over the world but it is also one that could have played out very differently. Joseph and Mary were engaged with a wedding date in mind when their nuptial plans were disrupted by an unexpected pregnancy that was the genius idea of God.

Let’s jump to Matthew 1:20-21 when an angel of the Lord intercepted Joseph’s quiet plans to get out of the very uncomfortable predicament he was in. In fact, Joseph’s exit plan must have kept him pretty preoccupied during the day because the angel appeared to him in his dreams saying, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife…”. (Doesn’t he remind us of ourselves when we try to get out of uncomfortable situations?) Apparently, God wanted to involve Joseph in His plans - forever! Indeed, the angel went on to task Joseph to not only take Mary as his wife, but also, be there with her even when she would experience mood swings and morning sickness during her pregnancy, and when the child was born, to name him Jesus.

Joseph’s gift was one that came with the responsibilities of being a husband, a father and a man of faith. He had no antecedent to guide him, no one to ask for advice. At the same time, he was to give the child a name that would be a break from the family tradition and for which he would have a lot of explaining to do!

Joseph’s gift was a test of his allegiance to God over tradition. In the end, he played a role that was crucial in the story of God’s gift of salvation to mankind. Today, Joseph is a must-have character in every Christmas play, musical, and nativity scene!

Some of us may find ourselves torn between reason and obedience to God. But if God has revealed something to you that differs from what you have planned, even if it means making unconventional choices, you can be sure that He will enable you to step into the role He has in mind for you, and to fulfill the challenges ahead.

Gift 2 - For Mary

Every girl has her dream wedding, and for Mary, it was only a matter of time before she and Joseph would walk down the proverbial aisle and be pronounced ‘man and wife’. This was clearly not a time for scandals but one day, an angel of the Lord appeared to her and opened a long conversation with a strange proposition: “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favour with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.” (Luke 1:30-31).

This hardly sounded like a congratulatory note. In fact, there was nothing more shameful and scandalous than an unplanned pregnancy before marriage and the suggestion of premarital sex. Maybe angels didn’t know much about human conception and mis-timed the announcement because Mary then asked the angel the obvious: “How will this be…since I am a virgin?” (v34). However, to prove to Mary that God would surely make the impossible happen, her much older post-menopausal cousin, Elizabeth, who also had conception issues, would now be able to conceive.

To be sure, being pregnant now would not only disrupt all of Mary’s wedding plans (if there would even be one), it would also be a source of great embarrassment – both for her and the family. How was that ‘favour with God’?

Yet, as the angel articulated God’s plan to her, Mary’s spirit became more indomitable. Her only response demonstrated a remarkable resolve to see God’s purpose fulfilled in and through her life: “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.” Essentially, she opened her heart and her womb to receive God’s gift, and trusted God to help her navigate the details of a very complicated situation!

As humans, we prefer if the requests we receive from God fit our lifestyle and schedule. Don’t tell us to adjust our plans and trust God for new outcomes. Self-serving preferences, so ingrained in us, often compete with the desire to make our lives count for God through our obedience to Him. If we keep putting off doing what God has put on our hearts to do because we can’t help thinking about the inconvenience, the discomfort and every negative thing about it, we will miss the divine favour that also comes with it.

So would you, like Mary, accept the gift of divine favour from God even when He leads you into a series of slow, small steps and very uncomfortable situations that will also lead you into the most fulfilling experiences of your life?

Favor

is kindness and preferential treatment given to someone.

Divine favor

is God’s gift bestowed on those who obey Him.

Gift 3 - For Shepherds

One night, a group of shepherds were sitting outside (as shepherds were used to do because they had to stay close to their flocks), each pondering over their humdrum life. Just then, an angel of the Lord appeared and interrupted their otherwise uninspiring evening with a divine mission: “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:8-20)

Suddenly, a great company of heavenly beings appeared and instantly chorused, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favour rests.” As soon as they were gone, the shepherds started talking about their newly-given mission to look for baby Jesus with only meagre clues. However, as shepherds, they had better navigational skills than anyone; only now, they would set out, not to look for a lost sheep but, to find living proof of what they had heard. The Good News that they received would not be complete without it!

But once they found baby Jesus, they did not settle down, have a celebratory drink and return to life as usual. In fact, verses 17-18 tell us that “they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.”

These shepherds, who once faced an existential crisis, had now found not only the baby Jesus, but also a new life calling to share the story of the birth of Jesus! In so doing, they inadvertently became a part of the nativity scene!

Today, we too, have the gift of Good News in our lives. What’s stopping us from sharing it with those who need to know, or those who have yet to hear the Good News. What’s causing us to be tongue-tied? What are we doing with the Gift of Good News we have received?

Finally, we are so happy that BeInReach, as a virtual community of faith, has been a gift to you. We hope you will not pause or slow down in your commitment to inspire others and stoke the fire for Jesus inside them. We hope you will continue to treasure God’s gift of people in your life and help them walk victoriously where they are. And most of all, we hope you will make yourself part of the Good News to all you meet.

This is a summary and reflection based on a virtual BIR session held on 11 Dec 2021.