Because Of Bethlehem

A Facebook post caught my attention. Boyd McWhorter, it reported, was a native of my hometown of Cochran, Georgia, USA. Unless you were a big fan of college sports — in particular for the National College Athletic Association's Southeastern Conference — you wouldn't know who he was.

But in the southern USA, among diehard fans, McWhorter is well-known. His sister was the mother of my high school English teacher. The Facebook post described him as a "former University of Georgia athlete and administrator, best known for his contribution to the Southeastern Conference (SEC) as the namesake for the H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship which has been awarded to the league's top male and female athletes who demonstrated superior scholarship, leadership and community service." And he came from little Cochran, Georgia.

Back in the 1970s, while living in Murphy, Texas, USA, a small suburb of Plano, my family discovered that the outer scenes of the well-known television drama, Dallas, were being filmed at a local rancher's home, just three miles from our house. Back then, Murphy was small, not even incorporated.

Cochran and Murphy — two small, insignificant towns, both of which became important for awhile. And the following Bible verse demonstrates that God had picked another insignificant town to be the place forever linked to Him and His amazing works.

Micah 5:2 – But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. (ESV)

Bethlehem was to be the birthplace of God's Son, Jesus, the Saviour and King of all. Because of that, life would be forever changed for all of us.

Matthew 2:1-2 – Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him." (ESV)

The opening stanza of Christian contemporary singer Matthew West's Because of Bethlehem tells it so perfectly:

Just a tiny nowhere town
With a tiny no-room inn
This is where the greatest story ever told begins
Where just a tiny beating heart
Had all creation leaning in
That night the world forever changed
Because of Bethlehem

The song continues with a chorus defining God's promises that began because of that night in Bethlehem.

Love is born
Hope is here
Heaven's light has made the darkness disappear
Peace on earth
Goodwill to men
God with us
All because of Bethlehem

Are you feeing insignificant? Pray that God may yet use you to further the plans that He began by sending Jesus here on earth!

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for the birth of Your Son, and for the promises You've made that always come through. Use each one of us to accomplish great things for You. Amen.

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About the author:

Becky Holland <rlhga@icloud.com>
Empire, Georgia, USA
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