A couple of weeks before Christmas my cousin flew from San Antonio, TX to Washington DC. Young soldiers being deployed overseas filled her packed plane. When the captain announced they were on the first leg of their trip to Afghanistan, the plane applauded. But one man did more. He told a flight attendant he wanted to give his first class seat to a soldier.

By: DVIDSHUB

My daughter and I had just returned from Chicago. Because Ginny works for the airlines we were bumped up to first class on the trip to Chicago. We flew coach home. Here are some differences we experienced between coach and first class.

• In coach, five seats were crammed into one row (three on one side, two on the other). First class had four in the same amount of space (2+2).
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• In coach, we fought for elbow space. First class had a console between each roomy seat.
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• In coach, they offered us pretzels and a soft drink. First class provided steamy washcloths and a hot meal.
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• In coach, after the pretzels, that was it. First class offered warm chocolate chip cookies.

Our recent experience made my cousin’s story all the more poignant. Susanne said the soldiers on her plane looked young. She watched the attendant select an especially young, slender guy from the crowded coach section and usher him into first class. A couple of minutes later, a large man lumbered out of first class and crammed his bulk into the soldier’s coach seat. 

Thinking about those young soldiers leaving the safety of home at Christmas to protect us and picturing the large man surrendering his first class seat for a soldier he didn’t know touched me. It was a small picture of what Jesus did for us.

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich” (2 Cor. 8:9).

• Before Jesus filled a manger His presence filled the galaxies. He left the expanse and glory of heaven to be confined into one body on one planet.
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• Before Jesus was an infant He was the Almighty. He spoke and worlds were created. He set aside His power to become a helpless baby whose very survival depended on others. The Creator became a creature.
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• Before the incarnation Jesus knew everything. He set aside His omniscience to become like us and grow in knowledge.
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• Jesus didn’t move from first class to coach. He moved from heaven to earth—to hell on the cross—so that we could live in heaven. He took our shame and guilt so we could share His glory.
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• He died in weakness so we could live in the power of the resurrection (Ephes. 1:19-20).

Have you pondered what Jesus did for you? When we focus on Christ we discover strength, comfort, and joy, not for just a season, but for a lifetime.

Speaking of our military, you can support and encourage our brave military spouses who shoulder responsibilities of family, employment, finances, and wounded warrior care by participating in a Buy One, Gift One program.

For every copy of Little Women, Big God that you buy between now and January 10th we’ll donate one book to Support Military Spouses who will include them in the Appreciation Care Packages they donate to military spouses around the USA!

Just email a copy of your receipt showing your purchase to LighthouseMinistries@nc.rr.com so we’ll know to send one book to Support Military Spouses for every book you buy between now and January 10th!

Learn more about Little Women, Big God here.

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Happy New Year,

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