Trading Up

Our yearning: Good news for “underdogs” (Read Isaiah 61:1-6)

As spoken by the prophet . . .
. . . the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of despair (Isaiah 61:3b)

As seen in Jesus . . .
He has filled the hungry with good things, but he has sent the rich away empty (Luke 1:53)

Now given to you . . .
The world is full of underdogs, the kind Isaiah speaks of: the poor, the brokenhearted, the captive, the grieving. These are not too hard to recognize. They populate our city streets, they sit alone in nursing homes, they don’t say much at work and their eyes appear red and tired. If we pay attention we can spot the underdogs.

But the world is also filled with the underdogged. The underdogged lug around a heaviness that we cannot see. They are typically well dressed, surrounded by friends, socially busy, seemingly successful; they are the ones we call “beautiful people.” But in the silent places they feel a metallic cold, an anchor that they alone carry. They may not feel beautiful or successful or even loved. The busy calendar is exhausting and the constant interaction with people has the warmth and depth of a shingle.

The quiet heaviness may be variously named: a deep regret, a nagging shame, a dashed hope, a stabbing memory, bewilderment at having it all but having so little. They are lowly, but you’d never know it. While the underdogs are surprised by God’s favor because they seem the least likely to receive it, the underdogged feel disqualified.

There is good news for the underdogged: the secret failures do not disqualify. According to Isaiah and Mary, the one thing that truly distances us from the Lord’s favor is our pride. God lifts the lowly and brings down the proud – but God never seems to take those who are weighed down and throw more on them. Jesus invited all who were heavy laden to come to him to find rest for their souls (Matthew 11:28).

Mary’s song describes a great reversal: the hungry are filled and the rich sent away empty. Isaiah describes a great exchange: beauty for ashes, gladness instead of mourning, praise instead of despair.

Christmas is a time for celebrating the fact that Jesus came to us. This same Jesus invites us to come to him . . . and make a trade. What silent weight might you trade in today?


Prayer:
Merciful God, you have invited us to cast our care upon you because of your great love for us. We walk through too many of our days beset with a weight that you have offered to carry. Show us what we need to lay aside today, and as we do so lift us up that we might taste and see your good favor. Amen.