"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."
- James 1:5
The holiday season is approaching and some of the key characters of the story of the birth of Christ are the wise men, also known as the Magi. They were sent by the Herod to supposedly greet and find the King of Jews, and report back to the harold of Jesus's exact location. The wisemen succeeded in finding Jesus, and presented him with gifts and worshiped Him. Being informed by a dream, they knew not to return to the Herod and avoided him, knowing that the Herod would harm Jesus.
What can we learn about wisdom from these Magi? What does the bible teach us about wisdom in general?
From the Magi, what we can learn is that in the presence of baby Jesus, they showed reverence. They were sincere in their gift giving and recognized Jesus as King. The narrative depicts them as being humble, sincere, and giving. When they were informed in a dream by God to not return through the same route, they demonstrated obedience. In doing so, they have protected Jesus.
Throughout the bible, the theme of embracing humility, humbleness, and reliance on God. It requires letting go of one's understanding and to submit to the Lord. Wisdom also requires abandoning ambition, boastfulness, and selfishness, and instead asks that we do good deeds and let others see our wisdom through our good works. It requires doing, not boasting.
Reflection: Who in your life do you consider truly wise? How do they fit into the description of wisdom as depicted in the bible? What can you learn from them?
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Wisdom is a key concept in the bible and the focus of our devotional study this week in Christian Calm Radio's blog. As you reflect on how the Magi exemplified wisdom, you can accompany your worship with channels from Christian Calm Radio, playing traditional hymns, contemporary songs, instrumental praise music, and christian audio texts.