Why didn’t Jesus come as a powerful ruler? Surely, his fame would have spread faster if he had a better title, more money and a place of authority. These were the signs of the Messiah, or so thought the Jews of his day.

Yet, he came as a baby. Only a few shepherds were alerted to this. A few years later, some star-watchers came to do him homage. He would live in a small town, never traveling far from home, making a living with a hammer and a saw. He was the neighbor that you could talk to, the friend you could rely on, the man of faith you could admire. He was in almost every way, common but without seeking fame.

Here’s the thing- famous people are really fun but not relatable. They always feel “far off”, occasionally entering into the world of the common man but then retreating to their home on the hill. No, God knew that we would need a redeemer we could relate to, someone just like you and me. I have met a handful of famous people in my life and I was starstruck each time. What I wasn’t was changed. Life went right back to the way it was before meeting the celebrity.

Why was this relatability so important? So that we could live like him once he’s changed our lives. This is the difference between a celebrity and the Savior. A celebrity’s encounter with a commoner is fleeting and leaves nothing but a faint memory. The Savior, one fully relatable with every human on the earth, leaves an indelible mark which changes one’s life. Then, we can change the lives of others.