Although many nativity scenes place the Wise Men and their gifts at the manger where Christ was born, Jesus was probably one or two years old when the Wise Men found him. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph were no longer in the manger. They were living in a house in Bethlehem.

The Bible doesn’t tell us much about these men, only that they knew the Old Testament prophesies and followed the heavenly star traveling from the east toward Bethlehem. We sing “We Three Kings”, but just because someone penned a song about three kings does not mean there were three wise men, or that they were kings.

We do know from the scriptures they presented Jesus with gifts fit for a king. Gold. Incense. Myrrh. These gifts were not second-hand leftovers. These gifts came at a cost to the giver. The journey to Bethlehem itself cost time, resources, and effort. These were all valuable commodities the men were willing to pay. Because, after all, their gifts were given in honor of the newly born King.

In the Wise Men’s story I find it interesting they did not go back to the earthly ruler, Herod, with news of Jesus’ location. After being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they listened to the True Ruler of Heaven and Earth, and returned home a different way. They obeyed God instead of man. How refreshing.

What gifts fit for a King will we offer Jesus to honor him and show our gratitude for what he has done for us? Maybe the best gift we can give is our self.

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Herod secretly called in the wise men and asked them when they had first seen the star. He told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, let me know. I want to go and worship him too.”

The wise men listened to what the king said and then left. And the star they had seen in the east went on ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. They were thrilled and excited to see the star.

 When the men went into the house and saw the child with Mary, his mother, they knelt down and worshiped him. They took out their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh and gave them to him.  Later they were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, and they went back home by another road. Matthew 2:7-12 (CEV)

I wish you well.

Sandy

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