Matthew 2: 9-12
9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
As I reflect on the account of the birth of Jesus, I am drawn to the experience of the wise men. Known for their spirituality and their intellect, they took great risk and endured extensive travel to meet the Savior of the World. Had they known up front that they would find an infant in a stable, would they have journeyed so far and taken such elaborate gifts? How did these noble men know to bow low to the child before them? Was it confusing or embarrassing for them to return with the news of what they had seen? What went through their minds when they received the warning that lives might be in danger if they returned to Herod?
How many of us are like the wise men, drawn to Christ and brought to our knees?
Like the wise men, when we come to Christ, we are following a star and looking for the one who came to save. The appealing message of redemption and new life moves many to raise their hands or walk the aisle, during an altar call. Our hearts are hopeful as we ready ourselves for a new life in Christ. But the Christian walk can oftentimes, lead us into humble settings, where we observe God’s work in our life through trials and tribulations. We are brought to our knees by illness, financial insecurity, broken relationships or lost dreams. We have life experiences that require us to be submissive to people and situations, at the cost of our pride and earthly joy. As we navigate these experiences, we sometimes question why our faith was not enough to spare us from the difficulties that life presents or why we cannot, in the short run, feel the blessings we imagined a life in Christ would bring.
Might it be that through our disappointment, we grow to be more like Christ himself? Who would choose to be born in a stable and die on a cross? Only our humble Lord.
We come to realize the saving power of Christ when we are humbled and desperately need to be saved. We find true wisdom when we put our trust in Him. During this season, let us be grateful for the humble King of Kings. Like the wise men, let us bow low to the baby in the manger.
Sonia