Inflection Point

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. Luke 2:11?

An inflection point in life is a moment of profound importance or disruption, which will alter the course of the future. This is actually a math term, and means nearly the same thing on paper—a point at which the formula changes, the curve goes from down to up (or vise-versa), the point at which the result becomes different.

A man and a woman, unmarried but headed in that direction, find out they will have a child. Brought up in conservative and deeply religious families, they are embarrassed at their situation. But something is happening that is bigger than they are. They have a directive from God to carry forward, and so they do. They are unsure of what will happen next.?

Examples of inflection points are completing your education, securing a job, beginning a relationship, having a child, moving to a new city. Any or all of these can result in a significant change to your life and your future. They all require you to go through a transition, which may or may not be easy to make. You may get excited and be energized by what lies ahead. Or you might be depressed or feel a sense of loss for what has been.??

The man and the woman arrive in their home town for a registration process mandated by the government. It’s crowded and chaotic. They didn’t plan ahead and have no place to stay. All the available rooms are full. She’s late in the pregnancy, the baby could come any day. They don’t have a car. They’re nervous and scared. They run into a man who agrees to help them, but his suggestion for lodging is no more than a roof and some hay. It’s a barn, made for animals. But it’s better than sleeping outside in the cold for the night.?

Some inflection points are driven by outside circumstances or events. The country goes to war and drafts you into service. An earthquake causes a tsunami which destroys homes in the coastal town where you live—including yours. A pandemic closes down the economy and millions lose jobs in a matter of weeks—including you. These disruptive experiences require problem solving, meeting challenges, going through change, which can impact your identity, your confidence, your capability and your life direction. Whether voluntary of involuntary, inflection points can be profound.

It’s late now but there’s a fire and the barn is warm. The couple doesn’t sleep. She’s in labor. The pain grows with each contraction. He finds a clean spot in the corner. They have some cloth, and were able to borrow some more from a person who lived nearby. There is some clean water in the trough. The baby is coming now. He emerges from the womb. Perfect. Time stops for a moment. A few onlookers gather. All eyes are on the child. There is something special about him. Something different. They all know it. Ordinary yet extraordinary. A point in time, a disruption, a promise, the future altered, a transition, an event. It will be profound. This child will change everything.?

Christmas is an annual event, mostly filled with family and friends, gifts and giving, smiles, food, pleasant memories. But let’s never forget the first Christmas was history’s greatest inflection point. The moment where God became man, His great promise of redemption fulfilled, and history turned, for everyone, forever. We celebrate not just a birth event, but a moment where heaven, earth and eternity met. We didn’t choose the time or place. But this disruptive event of 2000 years ago requires a response from each of us. The Scottish poet Alexander Smith said in 1829, “Christmas is the day that holds all time together.” And he was and is right. The past, present and future all come together in one amazing, glorious, celebratory experience. The Savior has been born!

This holiday season you should do three things. First, enjoy a tradition. Christmas is the perfect time to make memories that will last. Time with family, friends and others, that you will look back on through the years as special. Second, participate in worship. Praise and thank God for the great gift of His Son, and all that He represents for an ever-darkening world greatly in need of true Light.

Third and finally, make a change. Christmas is an inflection point. A moment in time where God made eternity with Him in heaven possible, through Jesus Christ His Son. It’s a pivot point where the past and future meet. It’s a great opportunity to consider what in your life—personal, physical, spiritual, social, emotional—is at a point where a change can set you on a better path going forward. What will be different in your life because of Christmas? No, not the new iPhone under the tree. Rather, the Savior, in the manger. What is possible now because of Jesus, and what might this historic moment mean for you, and your life, for a new day, a new year, and beyond??