Looking UP and Bowing DOWN… - by Sue Campbell

Recently, I was reading and reflecting on the Matthew and Luke (NIV) accounts of Jesus’ birth, and kept coming across the idea of “UP” – Joseph woke UP from a dream and did what the angel commanded him…the shepherds had to look UP from tending their flocks to see the angel who appeared to them…then they looked UP to see a “heavenly host (of angels) praising God”…Joseph and Mary went UP from Nazareth to Bethlehem, Mary treasured UP all these things…the magi looked UP to follow the star to find and worship Jesus…

It’s so easy at this time of year to do the opposite – to look DOWN at lists of things to buy or do, at smartphones that keep drawing our attention, at driveways and floors that need to be cleaned…or to get DOWN on ourselves about habits we didn’t change, conversations we didn’t have, goals we didn’t achieve…

 Instead, what if we ---

·        Look UP to see the majesty of God’s creation

·        Get UP out of our normal routines to do something unexpected

·        Make UP with someone we’ve wronged

·        Build UP someone who needs encouragement

·        Join UP with an opportunity to serve others

·        Love UP family members

 Maybe then, we’d see a very different perspective and we’d understand better about the only DOWN I did read – “On coming to the house, they (the magi) bowed down and worshiped him.”  (Matthew 2:11)

 

Sue Campbell

Dir. of Children’s Ministry