by Dr. Don Kuehle
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The “Drama Of Christmas” continues. We watch in wonder as God once again presents His story. During a brief interlude, we hurry backstage to meet some of the characters in this real-life drama. Look! There’s King Herod, and the Wise Men!
WISE MEN ARE ALWAYS SEARCHING! We don’t know what started them on their journey, or what held them to their search. We do know that when the question was asked: “Is this all there is to life?,” each one answered, “No! There’s more to life than we have experienced so far. We have seen God’s sign in the sky; we must go in search of a life richer and more abundant!” KING HEROD was not a searcher. He knew what he wanted out of life: power, fame, riches, and he was bound to get it. Herod had built his power-base in Jerusalem, and no one was going to stand in his way, not even the Babe in Bethlehem!
WISE MEN ARE ALWAYS ASKING QUESTIONS! People who ask question are considered dangerous people. They upset the status quo. Thus, they are suspect, people to be carefully watched. The Wise Men were asking questions around Jerusalem: “Where is the King, the One who has real authority?” and “Where might we find God’s Promised One?”
KING HEROD, hearing these questions, was troubled! People in authority do not like to be questioned. They are too unsure of themselves, and of their position of power. They are too set in their ways, and do not like to be upset. People in power do not like outsiders coming in and causing a disturbance.
WISE MEN ALWAYS FIND AN ANSWER! King Herod was too busy with the demands of governing, and with his dreams of power, to seek further for answers. Since he had the power and authority, he supplied people with answers. So why worry about what went on out in the sticks, in small-town Bethlehem. The religious leaders were not seeking answers; they already had all the answers they needed. When people ask the proper questions, you give them the proper answers. That way, everybody knows where they stand and everybody feels safe and secure. Some questions had no answers, and so were dismissed as irrelevant to life. The Wise Men, however, would not be content with easy answers to life’s hard questions!
They went to Bethlehem, seeking the source of both questions and answers.
Their journey was long and hard, filled with question marks. They came to Bethlehem and there in a manger they found God’s answer to all life’s questions. The answer was not what they expected!
WISE MEN ARE NEVER CONTENT! The Wise Men persisted! They never gave up; they followed the star all the way to Bethlehem! People who are content with life as it is will never journey to Bethlehem. People who are satisfied with life, and feel that they have all the answers they need, have no earthly reason to go to Bethlehem.
Every year, God lights his Star. Every year, God sends an angel choir to sing a song of peace on earth. Every year, spirit becomes flesh in a manger in Bethlehem. Every year, God reaffirms his answer to all life’s questions.
Only the wise follow the star wherever it leads. Only the wise leave the status quo to seek what God has for their future. Only the wise are restless enough to find the answer.