Bits for Sunday, December 30, 2007

I realize that Christmas is over...but I have one more Advent reading to share, so you will find it below.

The Wise Men: The Light of Offering The Best Gift

Matthew 2:1-12

The wise men. Perhaps the most controversial characters in the record of the first Christmas. Should they or should they not be included in the Christmas account? They weren’t there right away…their visit was months…up to two years later, perhaps! Were there three…were there more? Were they kings or were they just smart guys? The debate goes on all these many years later.

And we spend so much time trying to figure out just how far away from the manger to place these figures in our Nativity scene that we miss the entire purpose for which they came! Even when we do separate ourselves from controversy long enough to talk about why they came, we focus on the exciting part of the story…like their run in with King Herod and their secret journey home. Or we focus on the lavish part of the story...like the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh that they brought to honor Jesus.

And tucked away in that story, in the middle of lavishing and excitement, is the part we usually gloss over. “On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him” (Matthew 2:11a). That was their first order of business. They didn’t rush into the house and start pulling out presents right away. They didn’t scurry in and begin a great ceremony, declaring the Kingship of Jesus. They walked in, stopped, bowed, and worshiped.

We remember them for their material gifts that they presented. But their greatest gift – their first gift – was their worship. They didn’t come with the intent to impress. They came with the intent to humbly worship the One they recognized as their King. And the rest of that verse says “Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.” Then. After the worship, they gave the gifts.

I love giving gifts at Christmas. I love planning out exactly what I want to give. I love planning a theme. I love writing notes to go along with my gifts. I love wrapping them with care and watching joy on the faces of those who receive them as they unwrap them during the Christmas festivities. Presents are good – but they are not everything. The greatest gifts are the unseen ones. The ones you cannot hold in your hands. Your time. Your friendship. Your listening ear. Your hugs. Your caring.

Though Christmas is behind us and the gifts are now given, there is still one you can yet give. An unseen gift that you should seek to give first. The greatest gift...your worship.