“This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham: . . . Salmon was the father of Boaz (whose mother was Rahab).”
—Matthew 1:1, 5 NLT

When the people of Israel entered the Promised Land of Canaan, they had to pass by the fortified city of Jericho first.

Two spies were sent to scout out the city, and when their presence was discovered they had to hide. They entered the home of a prostitute of the city named Rahab, who hid them and helped them escape.

You probably know what happened next. God commanded the people of Israel to march around the city walls for seven days, and on the final day the walls fell.

All except for the section that included Rahab’s home.

Not only was she spared, but she ended up marrying into the nation of Israel and becoming part of the genealogy of Jesus recorded in Matthew.

If you think about it, it is amazing that God would have chosen to include a prostitute in his story. He could have chosen any number of people, but he chose a person who was outcast and rejected by society.

Why would he do that?

Because that’s the heartbeat of God.

The story of Rahab and the Imperfect Nativity both teach us this: God loves to use the very people that society shuns to write his story.

That is good news.

Here’s a simple prayer to carry with you today:

Breathe in: God of the outcast,
Breathe out: Thank you for including me.