A Star in the Sky

A Star at Its Rising

I believe that God places stars in our spiritual line of sight that can guide us to where Christ is. I have no idea whether the wise men recounted in Matthew 2:12 had been specifically looking for a special star–whether natural or supernatural. Whatever happened, they did observe a “star at its rising” that led them to seek “the child who has been born king of the Jews” (Matthew 2:2).

As we enter a new year, I believe that we called to use our spiritual eyesight to see the “star at its rising” that God is showing to us–sometimes individually, sometimes to a few, and sometimes to a multitude. That star, if we follow it, will lead us to the particular place where Christ is to be found for us.

Traveling Companions

We do not know how many wise men there were, except that there were at least two. We do know that there were three gifts, and so the tradition came to be that there were three wise men. I occasionally wonder how well they got along, especially during the difficulty and challenge of a journey that began without a definite end in sight.

On our journey toward Christ in the new year, we also travel with companions–some of our choosing and others who just seem to be there. We might  prefer different companions–perhaps younger, perhaps more experienced, perhaps more durable. Then again, we may not be the first choice for those with whom we travel!

I am certain that there are more sophisticated ways of understanding traveling companions, but I like to consider options from movies or children’s stories. Being from Kansas, it is easy to think of companions such as the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion that accompanied Dorothy on her journey to the Wizard of Oz. We all know those who could use more brain power, more heart, or more courage!

Another option might be to think of traveling companions like Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, and Eeyore. There are those like Pooh who are easily distracted with whatever promises to fill their emptiness, those like Piglet who are afraid of their own shadow, those like Tigger who are relentlessly optimistic, and those like Eeyore who are incurably pessimistic.  I know that my own natural tendency is to be an Eeyore, as I am always tempted to see what is difficult or even disastrous in any given situation!

Asking Directions

Part of the compelling evidence that the visitors from the East were truly “wise men” is that they had the courage and capacity to stop and ask for directions! And sometimes that is exactly what we need to do as well, especially when we are no longer able to see the star that got us started on our journey.

The wise men came to Jerusalem, which would have been a natural thing to do. After all, they were seeking the one who had been born “the King of the Jews.” Perhaps they had stopped following the star, thinking that they knew what God in mind. Perhaps they could no longer see the star, or at least not see it clearly.

At any rate, their question about where the “King of the Jews” was to be found came to the attention of Herod,  who called together “all the chief priests and scribes of the people,” and “inquired of them where the Messiah^* was to be born”(Matthew 2:4) Their answer, of course, was “Bethlehem of Judea,” and they were able to cite chapter and verse for their belief.

To me, this is an unspoken tragedy–that those who knew the story did not make the effort or take the time to check it out for themselves. How many years–indeed, how many decades–do we sometimes invest in learning about the story of Jesus but never really make the effort to go and see first hand for ourselves.

The wise men not only had the capacity to ask directions. They had the courage to follow them. And, what do you know, the star  appeared again! We need to stop and seek guidance not only when stymied in our travel but as we are proceeding along the trail.

Where the Star Stops

The wise men continued to follow the star until, in the words of “The First Noel,” it “did both stop and stay, right over the place where Jesus lay.” For the wise men, it must have been a surprise to find the child, with his mother, in a simple house there in Bethlehem. They had been to Jerusalem, and they had seen the glory and splendor of Herod’s household and the temple that Herod had caused to be built.

We are also likely to be surprised at where the star in the sky may lead us–perhaps even, in Mother’s Teresa’s words, in the “distressing guise of the poor.” And that place may be as close as the house next door or as distant as the other side of the world.

But this is where, for us as for the wise men, that we are “overwhelmed with joy.”

Offering What We Have and Who We Are

Without delay or hesitation, the wise men entered the house, knelt down, and paid the child homage. Then they offered him the gifts they had brought–gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

We actually have the opportunity to offer to Christ more than  what the wise men gave. For we have the opportunity to offer all that we have and all that we are–not just once but our whole life long. We are called to offer–not gold or frankincense or myrrh–but our time, our talent, and our treasure.

We may think that we have only time to offer–and not as much as we once had. But we also have talent (perhaps even talents!) and treasure. Talent is simply our God given capacity to bless others. Treasure is that on which we place the most value, regardless of its monetary worth. And each of us can offer God these things.

Returning Different

The story of the wise men concludes with their being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, and they “left for their own country by another road.” I trust that it is not taking too much liberty with the text to see that they “left for their own country by a different road.” That gives me the opportunity of saying that, while we may not take a different road after our encounter with Christ, we cannot help but be different by finding Christ anew and offering to him what we have and what we are.

May we find the courage, the wisdom, and the strength to follow the star that God has placed in our line of sight in 2009. May we share the journey with others, finding ways to encourage, support, and hold one another accountable. May we ask for directions when we need them–(and follow them when we get them!). May we not argue with God over where the star “stops and stays.” May we offer our time, our talent, and our treasure–however magnificent or however modest they might seem. And may we go home “different,” because we have been in the presence of Christ!