The Road Not Chosen: Birth or Resurrection?

I read an article this week in which an atheist was musing over the fact that Christians make a bigger deal of Christmas than Easter. After all, he observed, coming back from the dead is a much bigger deal than being born so all the big hoopla should happen at Easter.

At first I though, "He's right." Then I realized the main flaw in his observation. In order for Jesus to be born, Christ first had to decide to leave the comfort, peace & security of His home in Heaven, and come to Earth in the most vulnerable of human forms, an infant. Christ had to decide to come to our world and endure what all humans endure: pain, hunger, tiredness, conflict with each other, sadness, etc. That had to happen before Jesus' crucifixion & resurrection could ever take place

Jesus birth began with a decision, just as our spiritual birth as Christians begins with a similar decision. It's a decision to leave all that is familiar and comfortable for something that is unknown, at times difficult, sometimes wonderful and ultimately glorious. Glorious because it is not just about us, but about the plan of God to redeem all humanity...beginning with the birth of a child.

In short, the birth of Jesus is a bigger deal because that is where our salvation began. No sky full of angelic choirs or big star in the sky announced Christ's resurrection, only Jesus' birth. So let's go ahead and celebrate with vigor the birth of our Savior and in doing so, let's remember Christ's decision that came first: to fulfill the will of the Father so that humanity could be reconciled to God.