Abbey Christmas: Love Week 2 Day 2

Love: Day 2 - The Wise Men 

Matthew 2:9-12

The wise men offering their riches to the Christ child is, of course, an act of generosity. They give these precious items to a newly born baby who has no real physical use for gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But Jesus’ birth is so significant to them that they had to offer something to him that was actually of value. Their generosity was radical which is a key component to living out the love of God, and one component that is often the hardest to do for many of us.

Another small thing for this ordeal is the way in which the Wise Men’s discretion was actually a gift of love. By departing a different way, they allowed Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus the chance to enjoy safety for at least a little while longer. While Jesus himself could not enjoy the physical benevolence of these stargazers from the East, I have no doubt that his family’s flight to Egypt was at least partially funded by their loving generosity. 

In this season as we talk about what it means to give, let’s look for ways to show our love through radical generosity. We may not have bars of gold lying around or jars of incense, but we most certainly have something of value that will be a blessing to those around us. 

Reflection

Morning Pause: What do you have that is valuable enough to be a blessing to someone else? Ask God to reveal something to you today.

Afternoon Pause: One of our barriers to generosity is our own selfishness and greed. Pray that the Lord will reveal to you some of the things that you may be unwilling to share.

Evening Pause: Thank the Lord for the privilege to be a blessing today. The Wise Men received nothing tangibly for their generosity, but they lived the rest of their days knowing that they contributed to the well being of the savior of the world.