I just had a sleep-deprived thought. Looking at Christmasy images on Facebook, I wondered if anyone ever intentionally mixed up their holidays by posting a photo of an empty manger with the caption "He is not here; for He is Risen." At first, I thought this would be a silly joke. Then I thought that it was almost profound in how true it is. Jesus was born with almost nothing. Very few people knew who He was, He had little in the way of material possessions, and He didn't have, or at least didn't exercise, much of the power he had had before birth, or even the same power as a regular adult. When Jesus Christ was born, He had very little of the power and recognition He deserved. He was essentially born at the bottom, but he has risen a lot since then.
The scriptures tell us that after His birth, Jesus "increased in wisdom and stature, in in favour with God and man" (Luke 2: 52), showing that he grew up, rising to adulthood. As an adult, He performed miracles and gained a following, again rising through the ranks of mortal status. Yet, He didn't remain popular forever, and even the peak of mortal popularity and power would have been a step down for Jesus. Yet, He rose again, and having risen from mortality back up to immortality and from humanness back up to Godhood, Jesus Christ will never again be that tiny baby in a manger in Bethlehem. You won't find Him in a tomb or in a stable, for He has risen considerably from there.
When Jesus came down to earth, He came down pretty far. He temporarily gave up godhood and universal praise and worship to be a humble teacher. However, His lowness didn't last very long, and He rose back up to His former glory, perhaps now even a little more glorious for having accomplished the Atonement. Jesus isn't a poor boy from a small family anymore. In some ways, He never was. He has risen from his humble, mortal status to become, once again, a Heavenly King.
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