Humble Beginnings: An Offering of Doves

By Kae Habel

Cebu, Philippines

Scripture:  Luke 2:22-24, Leviticus 12:8

When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord’), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: ‘a pair of doves or two young pigeons.” Luke 2:22-24

The book of Luke was written originally for Greek (non-Jewish) readers. The Greeks were fascinated with the idea of the “perfect man.” So, Luke’s aim in writing the book was to present Jesus as the ideal Son of Man, the ideal human being.  Luke was simply trying to tell the Greeks: “The search is over – Jesus is the perfect man you are all looking for!”

Now Mary and Joseph knew that Jesus was the Son of God and that He would grow up to be the perfect man. Yet they still were careful to obey the requirements of Law of the Lord by offering a sacrifice.

Thankfully, today we are no longer required to offer animal sacrifices. But we are called to obey God’s command to love one another, to be holy, to be pure, to be patient, to be kind, etc.

Of course, I often can fail in this area.  Many times I find myself justifying my compromises with thoughts like, “Maybe I deserve some slack” or “Maybe it’s okay to binge-watch Netflix and skip my prayer time a bit,” and my list of excuses could go on.

But Mary and Joseph did not think that having Jesus, the Son of God, as their child excused them from fulfilling the Law.  Instead, they were committed to the core. If the parents of Jesus, perfect as He was, were not exempt, how much more am I called to obey God’s word? May I follow Mary and Joseph’s example of commitment, humility, and devotion before God when I am tempted to excuse myself from whole-hearted obedience.

Yet there was something else worth noting in Joseph and Mary’s offering as they presented Jesus before the Lord – the offering of a pair of doves.

In Leviticus 12:8, God provides an alternative for those who cannot afford to offer a lamb: two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. These offerings were necessary for the priest to make atonement for the woman who gives birth to a son or a daughter. (If you want to learn more about the purification requirements after childbirth, you can read Leviticus 12:1-8.)

We can assume that Mary and Joseph could not afford a lamb, so they offered two doves instead. Learning about this, I realized God himself helps us fulfill His commands. You see, God does not just command us to do things. He always provides a way for us to obey Him.

Let that settle in. God provides a way for us to obey Him even when we are limited by finances, life situations, physical abilities, or even in our faith (look at what God can do with “faith as small as a mustard seed”- Luke 17:6).  For example, I remember praying to God to help me love like Him, and indeed He gave me several incredibly challenging situations both in the ministry and in the family that really stretched my heart like no other.

Think about whatever we may be going through today. It may be painful, difficult, or joyful too. Whatever it is, maybe it is our “dove offering” before God.  Maybe it is what God has provided to help us obey His word.

Questions for Reflection:

1. How is my obedience before God?  Are there any areas in which I make excuses not to obey Him?
2. When I think through my weaknesses or limitations, how does God provide ways for me to obey Him in spite of my limitations?  Praise God that He always gives me a way to love Him and honor Him!