May
16
2012
The Tricycle Race
My husband went to college in the South.
It was a large university known for science and technology.
A tradition began there in 1969, where fraternities required their pledges to transport themselves around campus on tricycles.
Now, over forty years since it first began, it is still something you will see during Homecoming weekend. It is called the Mini 500 Race.
Grown men…knees stuck out to the side…trying desperately to pedal a tiny tricycle down the street. Since their weight was not evenly distributed, many of them would topple over on the first curve.
To think that many of these young men, fifteen years before, rode the tricycle with ease.
What seemed so appropriate when they were in preschool, now looked out of place.
They rode around on something that was very unimpressive.
Why would someone do that?
They were much too big for something so small.
Jesus, the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation…for God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him. (Colossians 1:15,19)
…to have all God’s fullness dwell in Him.
I cannot even imagine a package that could contain all God’s fullness.
The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. (John 1:14)
A package of flesh contained all of God’s fullness.
A body that looked like ours held Jesus…fully God and fully man.
Jesus made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. (Philippians 2:7)
Something so large and so vast came into our world and wrapped Himself in human flesh.
A very unimpressive package indeed.
But instead of clumsily maneuvering around this world, He did His Father’s will and spoke His Father’s word…perfectly…sinlessly.
I read about a Bible study group that discussed images that apply to Jesus.
Shepherd, Lamb, Vine…
Someone in the study said “fireworks in reverse”.
The group was puzzled and she went on to explain.
“Fireworks explode with brilliant, dazzling colors but they start off in an ordinary paper package. When God became man, the opposite happened. The Creator of the universe confined Himself to a very unimpressive human package.”
I have never forgotten that explanation.
That is how much Jesus loves you and loves me.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. (John 1:1,2)
How do you leave that perfection?
How do you lay it aside?
LOVE…pure and simple.
Human flesh contained the fullness of God.
It was inappropriate.
It was unimpressive.
It was necessary.
Jesus willingly submitted to the Father’s will and wrapped Himself in something small so that He would know what it was like to be us…in order for us to be more like Him.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet was without sin.
(Hebrews 4:15)
Fireworks in reverse.
Tricycle racing.
Our Lord Jesus.
Right on.