I don't know why I love this month, December, but I just do.
On a freezing cold sub zero morning I am sitting with my wife Dawn and a gingerbread latte looking out of a coffee shop window onto the City street.
We were chatting and reflecting on the fact that over recent weeks I'd felt a bit of darkness hovering over me, and it felt a bit heavy and unsettling.
Dawn gave me a scripture.
I reflected on it.
God spoke and the darkness lifted.
He had me thinking about the Magi.
You know.
The wise men?
Portrayed as three kings in the Christmas furore, although how many of them there actually were isn't really mentioned in scripture.
But God used this to speak to me.
So here's the story. I wasn't going to blog this but felt a bit of a holy prompt!
So Ill call it My little Christmas blog message if you like.
This word "magi" from the Greek word Magos.
Every Royal household had the Magi. (No its not some kind of epidemic!)
Magi were astronomer priests who usually provided the king with information they had supposedly read from the stars.
Over time occult groups got a hold of this concept of reading the stars and that's where the English word Magic has stemmed from.
Here we see these early ancient astronomer priests featured in this scripture.
I know we sing songs like "We three Kings", and kids dress up as Kings to represent these guys in their school nativities. Some scholars think this could be due to knowledge of scriptures such as Psalm 72: 11, that says, "May all Kings bow down to him."
But whatever, the Magi were often key members of Royal regimes.
Cue Herod,
King Herod, the guy who had been officially titled the King of the Jews by the Roman government of the day, getting well upset by the visit of a group of these Magi, star reader guys, who had come from the East and started saying we have seen a star and then were asking people "Where is the one born King of the Jews, we saw his star and have come to worship him?"
Herod calls all his big boys together including these Magi Guys, and asks them where this other king of the Jews was to be born?
They reply, "in Bethlehem."
They went on to explain that they got their info from a prophecy from was known that says, "But you Bethlehem, in the land of Judah are by no means last among the rulers of Judah. For out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel." (Micah 5: 2-4)
Then Herod calls the Magi secretly and they tell him exactly when the star appeared. He then sends them to Bethlehem with the mission to tell him exactly where this King was being born.
So the Magi do their thing and follow the star.
This star stops directly over Bethlehem.
When they see this star they were overcome with joy.
They find Jesus born in a stable.
They bow down in recognition of a king.
They give him gifts expensive stuff.
They then having been warned in a dream, go back to the East, making sure they avoid all contact with Herod who had an evil plan to kill this so called King, Obviously because he was King and didn't want anyone taking that away from him.
No wonder we refer to these Magi guys as the wise men.
They displayed a wisdom that doesn't come from earth.
As I said at the top of this post I went through some unexplainable darkness recently.
Dawn gave me a scripture. Like she does so often.
After reflecting on it the darkness lifted.
I got to work on taking heed of the words I read.
James 3: 13-18
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.
I saw in my spirit a real comparison in this scripture with the character of the wise men.
In James, the question is asked to the twelve tribes, in other words Gods people, so that includes us, who is wise and understanding among you among you?
Then he goes on to give us a key to allow us to demonstrate wisdom.
"Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom."
Then he lets us know that if we harbour envy or selfish ambition in our hearts then don't boast or try to cover it up.
Then he says that that kind of wisdom is not from Heaven. It's from the earth, it is unspiritual and even demonic.
Because where we have envy or selfish ambition in our hearts, then you will have disorder and practice all kinds of evil.
But then this beautiful description of heavenly wisdom, wisdom that comes from God, is outlined.
And a set of values are used to describe the marks of a wise person who's wisdom is heavenly.
A person who is wise will display pureness, will be peace-loving, will be considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
Then this beautiful passage finishes with the declaration that "those who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness."
Back to the wise men.
They displayed all of these things.
Their actions were pure. They craved peace and avoided conflict with Herod, they were considerate by even just walking into an old stable, that wasn't the surroundings they were used to. They were submissive as they recognise this child to be Jesus, the messiah and king of all, they bowed down to him a total act of worship. They were full of mercy and good fruit. Their act of worship really changed the course of history, if they hadn't followed the star or recognised Jesus as a king, then Herod would have got to him. Their wise actions allowed countless lives throughout the ages to be freed by the salvation story that unfolded with the birth life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They were impartial they laid down their allegiance to King Herod, and they showed the ultimate sincerity.
So their wisdom came from heaven not from earth and they displayed nothing of envy or selfish ambition (the same couldn't be said about Herod).
Their wise actions kept the plan of Salvation alive and available to future generations.
That was a far greater gift than the Gold, frankincense and myrrh that they presented Jesus.
So guys what about us?
Heavenly wisdom gives us an opportunity.
An opportunity to change.
Change our lives and even change the course of history.
It seems to me heavenly wisdom calls us to change our attitudes, our ways, even our lifestyles.
Do we harbour selfish ambition? I'm alright Jack, it's all about me attitude. As long as I am alright then forget anyone else?
Do we harbour envy? Looking at others and wishing we were them, or have what they have? And maybe stop at nothing to get what they have?
The crucial thing is here that if we do have selfish ambition or envy then we are mini Herod's really.
His massive ego and pride amounted to selfish ambition and envy.
Selfish ambition and envy could have deprived the world of a saviour.
The wise mens pure actions helped to usher in the gift of Jesus Christ to this world.
That same responsibility is on us.
Yes us.
If we can see selfish ambition or envy in our hearts then all we will bring to this world is disorder and all kinds of evil things. That kind of wisdom is earthly, unspiritual and demonic.
If we are pure peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere, then that is heavenly wisdom and will lead to salvation and freedom for ourselves and others.
The wise men were wise.
The wisdom they displayed had massive consequences for this world.
So it seems we can choose between two kinds of wisdom. And choosing heavenly wisdom? Well, it seems to me that we have the opportunity to continue to change the course of this world.
I know which kind I would rather choose.
Do you?
Thank you everyone from the bottom of my heart for all the encouragement this year about my blog. May I take this opportunity to wish you a really amazing blessing smothered Christmas this year.
