Enjoy this reprint of my blog. As we approach Christmas season, I love to retell this story…

No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good,
    and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right, to love mercy,
    and to walk humbly with your God                                                                        Micah 6:8

This is a story that is an addition and expansion of the account of the three wise men recounted in the book of Matthew. It tells about a “fourth” wise man, a priest of the Magi named Artaban, one of the Medes from Persia.

 Like the other Magi, he sees signs in the heavens proclaiming that a King had been born among the Jews. Like them, he sets out to see the newborn ruler, carrying treasures to give as gifts to the child – a sapphire, a ruby, and a “pearl of great price”. However, he stops along the way to help a dying man, which makes him late to meet with the caravan of the other three wise men. Because he missed the caravan, and he can’t cross the desert with only a horse, he is forced to sell one of his treasures in order to buy the camels and supplies necessary for the trip. He then commences his journey but arrives in Bethlehem too late to see the child, whose parents have fled to Egypt to escape the plot of Herod to kill the possible rival King.  He saves the life of a child at the price of another of his treasures.

Artaban then travels to Egypt and to many other countries, searching for Jesus for many years and performing acts of charity along the way. After 33 years, Artaban is still a pilgrim, and a seeker after light. Artaban arrives in Jerusalem just in time for the crucifixion of Jesus. He spends his last treasure, the pearl, to ransom a young woman from being sold into slavery. He is then struck in the head by a falling roof tile and is about to die, having failed in his quest to find Jesus, but having done much good through charitable works. A voice tells him “Verily I say unto thee, inasmuch as thou hast done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, thou hast done it unto me.” (Matthew 25:40). He dies in a calm radiance of wonder and joy. His treasures were accepted, and the Other Wise Man found his King.

From a short novel by Henry van Dyke

I always loved this story, because of its beauty, and also because of the truth it explains. The fourth wise man went about his life seeking to fulfill his mission- to find and to honor Jesus. All through his life, he believed that he had failed in the mission because he could never deliver his precious gifts to Jesus. Of course, he had been serving out his mission the whole time. He had been serving Jesus by serving other people. That IS the mission.

So, I think often we miss the fact that our lives have great meaning and purpose to the extent that we humbly serve others. Nurturing mothers and fathers are serving out their calling by caring for their children as best they can. Teachers are serving out their calling by dedicating themselves to the betterment of their students. Medical personnel are doing healing work. First responders are saving lives, often at the expense of their own.

On and on. You fill in the blank of how you are serving and playing out your mission. Is there more for you? Do you feel that there are things that you still must do?

Good. We never stop living out that mission. We never “retire” from our calling. If you have somehow decided that you have nothing more to give, think again. We need to LIVE until we die, not exist until we die. If there is that one more thing that is in front of you, pursue it. Because that might be the voice of God prompting you to seize that moment with your set of skills and passion to impact another.

Prayer: Thank you for the plan of mission, of significance, of honoring you with our life, Amen.

Never tire of loyalty and kindness. Hold these virtues tightly. Write them deep within your heart Proverbs 3:3

We have been slowly losing the virtue of civility in American society. Clearly, we are not seeing it in the highest elective offices in the country. I worry about the deep cultural changes that have speeded up the loss of this important virtue. In the past we had seen civility modeled by our leaders, but now, anger and retribution have replaced civility, compassion and empathy.

I even look for civility in little actions-like taking an extra few steps to put the shopping cart in the cart corral at the grocery store. Maybe it is just taking the trash in your hand and depositing it in a garbage can rather than littering.

Little actions build upon themselves, and they help us to define who we are. If we act like a kind, caring person to our fellow community members, we begin to see ourselves as that way, and it starts a strong, upward cycle which reinforces itself.

On a little larger scale, it may be showing tip generosity to restaurant servers, volunteering at a church or service organization, or donating blood at the local Red Cross or blood center. These are just some examples of civic and social responsibilities that one might expect of their fellow citizens which make life a little better for all.

We are, perhaps, the most educated society in the world. Higher education is available to almost all in our society, yet education is not the answer to civility.  Education does not ensure that virtue is inculcated into our daily life. That is the province of families who love their children and teach them to love others. Teaching those values and virtues is critical in maintaining a society that can sustain itself, and indeed to touch positively the more vulnerable members of that society.

Prayer: Lord, help us to be aware of ways to show kindness and civility to others, Amen

Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem, in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. At about that time some astrologers from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in far-off eastern lands and have come to worship him.”                             Matthew 2:1-2

I have been looking at the clear night sky lately, and the stars and planets have been especially brilliant. The one advantage of winter is the clarity of the sky due to the cold temperatures and relative lack of clouds and haze. I was really taken aback the other evening with the brightness of Jupiter. Venus, the morning star is similarly brilliant.

Then I happened to hear a podcast which discussed a possible explanation of the Christmas star. That same star the Magi were tracking when they sought the newborn ruler whom they believe the star portended.

The theory put forth by this scholar was that on the morning of April 17, in 6 B.C. an unusual alignment of the planet Jupiter, rising early in the morning, before sunrise in the eastern sky, caused the Magi to follow this omen. Since it arose in the astrological house of Aries, it caused them to believe that this omen meant that a significant king would be born in Judea. Judea evidently was associated with the astrological house of Aries.

It is interesting to note that these Magi were astrologers from perhaps Mesopotamia or Babylonia. They were skilled in the arts of astrology, and when they determined that this new king would be born in Judea, they headed to Jerusalem to inquire of the current king about this amazing birth.

Jews were prohibited from practicing the astrological arts, so Herod, and the other Jewish inhabitants were unaware of the significance that the pagan world associated with this sign. Of course, Herod wanted to hear about a king who might supplant him. Herod wanted names and addresses so that he could destroy this usurper king!

The mind-blower for me was that on December 19 of that year, Jupiter seemed to stand still in the sky. It shone brightly because of a confluence with the moon, and it seemed to just stand still. There is a technological reason for this phenomenon- Jupiter did not stand still. However, it appeared to stand still relative to the position of the earth in its course around the sun relative to Jupiter at that point.

Now this theory is just that- a theory. However, it does have some scientific backing and it could have been an explanation of the Christmas star followed by those wise men from the east.

Whether this theory flies or not, there are some interesting aspects to it. The Judeans would have been clueless about the astrological significance of this momentous event, but the rest of the world may have seen something that the Jews of the time did not.

A new King was being born.

Prayer: Lord, you give us wonderful gifts that we sometimes fail to see, Amen

May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven                  Matthew 6:10 (New Living Translation)

…he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.                                                                       Ephesians 1:9-10 (NIV)

Christmas is the season we celebrate the Incarnation of Jesus. Incarnation is a fancy word for “in the flesh”. The plan that God has is for his glory and character to be transferred from heaven to earth. In order to do that, he sent his son to earth to literally bring heaven to earth.

We earthlings have not done such a great job of manifesting God’s heavenly glory and character here on earth. Yet, we are called as Christians to do that very thing- against all odds. We are to mirror those character qualities to others, to demonstrate the plan that God has.

In times past, some zealous Christians decided to forcefully bring people into the Kingdom of God by spreading the message of Jesus to colonized peoples. Others simply walled themselves off from those who were not “believers”, and practiced “separation” from the world. Still others would try to legislate conversion to Christianity by making the “religion of the king the religion of the people.” Hence, the 30 Years War in Europe, and the aftermath of divided people groups. We are well aware that the simple, even audacious, plan of bringing heaven to earth, has been made complex and contentious.

At this season of Christmas, let’s again think of the very basic reason that Jesus came to earth- to reconcile a broken people into the glory of heaven that God has intended all along.

Prayer: On earth as it is in heaven…Amen

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.                              John 13:35

We are deep into the Christmas season, and it is a beautiful time of year. Friends and family coming by, parties planned, and those wonderful Christmas songs fill the air for a brief season. Yes, we are celebrating the liturgical year which indicates the season of preparation for the coming of Jesus. Even people who are only barely aware of the monumental impact of Jesus coming to earth celebrate this as a cultural holiday season.

Jesus came to earth to reconcile a lost people to the heavenly plan of peace and restoration to their loving Father, the Creator of the universe. We demonstrate that good will, perhaps better this time of year than any other. We give gifts to one another, we find ways to gather together, and we even decorate our environments with lights and festive ornamentation.

Jesus said that people will know that we are Christians by the way we love one another. It seems that Christmas is a good excuse to play that out in public. I know that many people feel that the Christmas season has been commercialized, and even hijacked by the culture.

I say, let’s enjoy the season, and use it as a way to love people in a special way this season.

Prayer: Lord, we keep in mind the wonder of your presence in coming to earth, Amen    

“Youth is a gift of nature, but age is a work of art.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom                                                                Psalm 90:12

Today’s blog is for the senior set. I hope younger readers appreciate it as well. As I was speaking to clients the other day, I was going over some of the losses they had experienced. I discussed the fact that they were grieving a loss in their family due to a recent divorce. Seeing this divorce as a loss to be grieved was something that they had not really considered.

I went on to talk about the fact that as we age, we begin losing things in our life. We lose friends and family who have died. We witness changes around us that make us long for the past days when life seemed simpler and even safer. Finally, we grieve the loss of certain functions- we do not hear as well, see as well, move as fluidly, etc. We are experiencing loss.

The counterbalance to this is that we acquire wisdom. As we age, we gain certain things also. We gain perspective over a lifetime of experiences. We better recognize the things that we can control versus the things we cannot control. We have seen good times and bad, and we realize that neither last forever. We have seen that God’s hand is always present, whether we se it at the time or not.

So, there is a trade-off. Yes, we are in the process of losing some things around us and in us. But we gain wisdom, which is a marvelous gift.

Prayer: Lord, help us to see the things we gain as we age, not the things we lost, Amen

How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He’s the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.                               Ephesians 3:1-6 (The Message)

I was speaking with a client recently who is facing jail time for an offense he deeply regrets. He related that he has trouble understanding why God loves him, especially since he feels so totally unlovable.

We talked further about his history of feeling inadequate and not being able to fit in with others. I talked with him about the fact that many people struggle with understanding why the holy, omnipotent God of the universe would love us. I explained that there is a difference in acceptance versus understanding. We can accept that God loves us, even when we don’t understand it.

I gave him an example of being a father, which he and I both are. I asked him if it gives him joy to know that his children know that he loves them. When we know that our children are secure in our love for them, we feel good. It gives fathers joy to know that their kids are secure in their father’s love. How much more joy does it give to God when we acknowledge his love for us?  

Prayer: Father, what a plan you have for your children, Amen

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

 So, they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.  When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.  But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.  The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.   Luke 2:15-20

And the sign said “The words of the prophets are written on subway walls, and tenement halls, and whispered in the sounds of silence…”

Paul Simon

I wrote in the blog the other day about Jesus going to the people on the margins. He came to be an example to us to do that very thing in our own communities. So it struck me as so appropriate that the first ones to hear about Jesus, and to spread the news to others, were people who were considered least likely to be bearers of that good news.

Isn’t it interesting then, that shepherds were the first bearers of the good news of the birth of Jesus into the world. It is my understanding that shepherds were people who lived on the margins of society. They were living in the fields, rough and rugged men who had courage and tenacity. They had to guard sheep from predators, and they had to risk their lives for their flock at times.

The angels sought these men out and gave them the gift of being the first witnesses of a world transformation. It seems fitting that the shepherds, those on the margins, were the first to bear witness of God’s grace.

Throughout his ministry, Jesus came to give the good news to the poor. Here the poor were the first to bring his good news to the world. They were the ones to announce that One who came to give his life for his flock had come. The Good Shepherd had been born.

Prayer: Lord, you would have the poor and marginalized speak the truth to the world! Amen

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace                                                                                                         Isaiah 9:6 (KJV)

We are coming into the “home stretch” of the Christmas buying season. Days are slipping by as we count down to Christmas. Most people, often women, take great care in trying to get good things for their loved ones, spending hours, even days, searching out just the right gifts.  Some men I have known have spent up to 20 minutes trying to find the right gift before resorting to the tried-and-true gift certificate.  Hey, people appreciate them!

If buying gifts were all that Christmas was about, we would indeed be the most miserable of people.  I truly enjoy giving gifts to people, but that, of course, is not the essence of Christmas.  Christmas is truly an invasion of the heart with a renewed spirit.  The first Christmas was an invasion of earth by the visitation of Jesus born in the flesh.  This invasion was little noted at the time, being witnessed only by a select few people who scarcely knew what to make of the occasion. From that humble invasion came a spirit that we now know as God’s idea of how to show real love.  Christmas giving is meant to be an expression of love to one another, shown that day some 2000 years ago. 

So the expression of love, which is the real idea here, can be done in many ways, only one of which is physical gift giving. We can give the gift of life by listening closely and intently to others, especially in their time of need.  We can give the gift of life by a word of encouragement to others when they look a little defeated by the day’s worries.  We can give the gift of life to people without a word, but through a glance and a smile, or maybe a nod of approval.

In the next several days before Christmas, try a little experiment.  When you are sitting in a meeting, a group setting, church, or some other gathering where someone is a speaker, look directly at the speaker, give a little smile, and nod approval.  You will have just given to that speaker a little gift of life.

Most people reading this column have already sent their Christmas cards for the year, if indeed people still send them. However, I encourage another experiment. During the rest of the year, send a card of encouragement periodically to people, for no apparent reason other than to affirm them. You will be sending life to them.

So, as we settle into the commemoration of the gift of life that God has given to the world, let us give the gift of life to others.  Have a merry and blessed Christmas! 

Prayer: Lord, help us to spread the giving spirit of Christmas all year, Amen

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free…                                                                                   Luke 4:18

“If the gospel isn’t good news for everybody, then it isn’t good news for anybody…”             Rob Bell

Our pastor gave his sermon Sunday about Jesus “going to the margins”. What he meant was that Jesus always sought out those whom the current culture or ruling elites had put on those margins of society. Jesus came to proclaim God’s love and freedom for those whom the culture had forgotten or indeed, had even punished.

When that Spirit of the Lord rests upon the followers of Jesus, they are compelled to do the same- reach out to those whom the culture has marginalized. When Jesus related the story of the “Good Samaritan” he told the listeners, “Go and do likewise”. Our response to Jesus must be to do the same things he did.

I get a little concerned about the use and misuse of the term “personal salvation.” Indeed, Jesus came to give his life for us and to bring each of us into reconciliation with the Father, but too often, I think salvation becomes “only personal”. It can allow people to claim their own standing with God, and then feel like they are finished. We are to be followers of the way that Jesus taught, and not just “name droppers.”

If we are to be people of “the way of Jesus”, we need to act like him, and not just name him. The Christmas season is a wonderful opportunity to reach people who are on those margins. We can give of our finances and our time to help find people who may not know of the reason for the season. Then we can start to love them into the Kingdom that Jesus invited all to attend.

Prayer: Lord, what a beautiful opportunity we have to show your love to others in this season, Amen