For many parents, learning the gender of their unborn child can be magical, exciting, maybe even a bit nerve wracking. You would think with ten grandchildren this gender reveal thing would not be something new to me. Most of my knowledge comes from Facebook posts by friends and family. I’ve seen balloons popped, boxes opened, and even guns shooting out colored gunpowder.
The only reveal party I actually attended was for Megan and Phillip’s first baby. We had a party and a cake. Whoever baked the cake was the only one privy to the gender of the baby. It works like this when the cake is cut, if the inside is pink it’s a girl, blue for a boy. We gathered around the cake, excited for the big reveal. We were to vote on the gender of the baby by wearing blue for a boy and pink for a girl. I didn’t know about that part. I was wearing a cheetah print jacket! Now we are all praying Meg is not having a baby cheetah! Then the moment comes … Meg cuts the cake … and low and behold, it’s pink! Henslee Brooks Keefe is revealed.
Not exactly how Jesus was revealed to his mother, Mary. The Bible tells in us in the first chapter of Luke she was visited by an angel with a world-changing reveal. She was a bit troubled at an angel’s appearing, and who wouldn’t be! Knowing she was afraid, the angel said to her:
“Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.” (Luke 1:31-32 NIV)
The angel not only revealed her pregnancy, but also the gender of her baby, a son; and his name … Jesus. The angel even told her what he would do when he grew up. He would be a King. A King who would bring sight to the blind, heal the sick, set captives free. A King who would live forever; who would save His people from their sins, who would share the gift of eternal life to those who chose to follow Him. Now that’s a gender reveal!
This reveal changed the world. As we enjoy celebrating Christmas, let’s take the time to allow Jesus to reveal Himself in a new and deeper way. Where can we be more generous? How can we be more kind? In what ways can we be more grateful and forgiving and hopeful and patient and faithful and like this child who comes among us to be all of those things? Jesus, the Son of God who came to save the world.
Merry Christmas!
Vicki Heath is the National Director of First Place for Health. Vicki is a certified fitness instructor for the American Council on Exercise, a certified life coach and Wellness Coordinator for her church in Edisto Beach, SC. Vicki is an author of the books Don’t Quit Get Fit, Wellness Journey of a Lifetime and My First Place. She strives to bring others into the Kingdom through health and wellness.