Unreasonable…

In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” (Luke 1:39-45 ESV)

Unreasonable is not usually a word we associate with God, but according to the above picture/definition God fits the bill. He is not bound by reason and does whatever it takes to get the job done.

Think about people in history who were probably viewed as unreasonable…

Abraham Lincoln in his pursuit of making all people free. He relentlessly pursued justice for those held as property in the face of destroying a nation. He was unreasonable, not conforming to the easy way to do things, but pursuing the freedom for all men who knew was possible.

Christopher Columbus knew he could sail west and make it to the East Indies. He was certain that even though 99% of the rest of the people of his time knew the world was flat, that it was round, and he would not sail off the end of the world, but find a shorter route to get spices. He was unreasonable in his pursuit of a shorter route to get spices.

And there are others, but what about God?

Elizabeth was cursed because she had not been able to bear a child and now in her old age (past child bearing age) she is having a child. And Mary who is not married, and way to young to be having a child is having a child.  This is all unexpected and well beyond reason. You see things had gotten really messed up and God’s creation was doing things that God did not like. He needed to get their attention so the prince of heaven was born to a lowly girl, who is going to marry a simple carpenter, in a stable in the lowest of towns, not eve that of a tribe…

Jesus is not born in a palace, to a prince and princess, where He could be protected from life, He is born as one of us, to suffer with the people and live a life that we all live. He is here to know us and be one of us, and show us there is a better way. It is completely unexpected and unreasonable.

You see God is not one to do things that conform to the way the world wants them done, but does them as He knows they need to be done. God does not adapt Himself to the world, but works to adapt the world to Him. If we constantly do things that the world wants or expects, how will there ever be progress? If we are to truly turn the world around and show them the love that is available to them we must do things that adapt the world to the way of God and not help them remain where they are.

God is very unreasonable doing whatever it takes to help society see the relationships they can have with Him. Even going as far as having an old priestly woman and a young common woman have babies and show forth the kingdom of God.

What can you do that will be unreasonable and help people see who God is?