The Gift of Jesus | JOY
I have a confession: I hate buying gift wrap and bags that will just be thrown away. Yes—beauty matters to God. Creation proves that. And presentation has value. But I’d rather invest in the gift itself than in the packaging. So I use butcher paper and let the kids decorate with stickers or markers. I reuse boxes whenever I can. The best is when a child tears off the wrapping only to find… a box of diapers. They freeze in horror. If they stopped there, they’d have every reason to be disappointed.
But if they look deeper—past the packaging—they find the real gift. The joy comes bursting out, sometimes with even greater relief.
Mary understood that. She didn’t stop at appearances. She saw a deeper reality—and that is where she found joy.
This teenage girl stood one decision away from death. If Joseph rejected her, she would face shame, isolation, or worse. Yet as I read her story, I don’t see fear. I see trust. She wasn’t focused on what most people call “reality.” She looked at what was more reliable than what she could see.
And instead of being paralyzed by fear, she sang:
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for He has looked on the humble estate of His servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for He who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is His name.”
—Luke 1:46–49
How could she call an unexpected, out-of-wedlock pregnancy a “great thing”? Because she saw mercy coming. She saw power, justice, and compassion. And these were more true—more real—than mockery or lost reputation. That deeper reality sparked a joy that burst into song.
So whatever “diaper box” circumstances you’re facing this season—look deeper. Remember the truth underneath it all:
God became one of us.
He allowed Himself to be mocked, rejected, and killed.
He rose again—just to rescue us from ourselves.
He is with us in every breath. You have never been anywhere He has not already been. And beyond this moment, there is a better gift coming:
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,
and death shall be no more,
neither shall there be mourning,
nor crying,
nor pain anymore.”
—Revelation 21:4
Let’s look deeper. Let’s hold on together.
Let’s have joy.
Written by Ashley Alston | Woodcreek Member
Questions? communications@woodcreekchurch.com
