At Christmas, we sing about the three kings, those mysterious Wise Men from the East who followed a star to find the King of Kings in Bethlehem. The account of the Magi shows that the good news of the coming Messiah was broadcast to distant parts of the known world from the very beginning.

The little we know of the Wise Men is gleaned from the Book of Matthew. Masters of mathematics and astronomy, they studied the stars and ancient prophecy and discovered that a mighty king was to be born. They travelled a great distance from the Persian vicinity to Jerusalem, where they inquired of King Herod about the child.

Both the Wise Men and Herod agreed on one thing: the Baby they were seeking was of great importance. But their intent once they found the Child could not have been more different. The wisdom of the Magi stands in sharp contrast to King Herod's rapacious greed.

Searching
The Wise Men applied the full powers of their learning to the search for the King that had been revealed to them in the stars. They had to use discernment in weighing multiple sources of information. When they arrived in Jerusalem, they asked, “Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews?”

Herod, who also held the title King of the Jews as conferred by the Roman Senate, was “disturbed” (see Matthew 2:3) by the Magi's question and called a secret meeting with them. “Go and make a careful search for the Child,” he told the Magi. “As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

Fortunately, the Wise Men were able to recognize Herod's evil intent to kill Jesus (see Matthew 2:12). Herod wanted to consolidate his kingdom by wiping out his rivals, including members of his family. His ultimate goal was to enhance his own name, as demonstrated by his massive building projects at Masada and the construction of the second temple in Jerusalem.

What about us? What are we searching for this Christmas? Are we chasing down the perfect gift for someone to prove our love to them? Are we seeking the elusive Hallmark Christmas to assuage our loneliness? Are we lifting up our ego by offering our time to charitable works? Or are we seeking to honour the One with “the name above all names”?

Worshipping
When the Magi found Jesus, they were “overjoyed” (see Matthew 2:10). They worshipped him as a king, though he had been born into the most vulnerable of circumstances. They worshipped with their whole selves, as shown by their posture (bowing down), the giving of costly gifts (their valuables) and the sacrifice of their time (commitment to their long and arduous journey).

Herod, on the other hand, submitted to no one. His false vow to worship Jesus hid the murderous intent of his heart, which led to the murders of his own wife and sons. He could have been remembered by history as a convert to Judaism with immense administrative prowess and construction skill. Instead, he is remembered for the slaughter of the innocents, the brutal destruction of all the babies in Bethlehem under two years old.

Who or what is the true object of our worship this Christmas? Do we enter into the busy rush of a 21st-century celebration with an attitude of reverence? Does our worship fully engage us? Is it joyful? How can we simplify our harried lives to enable time for true and joyful adoration?

Obeying
The Wise Men, being warned through dreams not to return to Herod, continued to show their wisdom by obeying and “returned to their country by another route” (see Matthew 2:12). As a result, Jesus slipped through Herod's fingers. The Wise Men's act of obedience helped save Jesus' life. Herod's acts of disobedience sealed his reputation as a brutal and merciless man.

What is God calling us to do differently this year to celebrate his birth? Are there new journeys for us, new ways of going home or welcoming others? What are some of the obstacles to obeying?

Searching, worshipping and obeying are lessons that the humblest citizen and the most powerful king can learn together from the witness of the Wise Men. During their journey, the Magi discovered the crux of the Christmas message: that God sent his own flesh and blood to reveal himself and his purposes to the world. That's what made the Wise Men wise.

Major (Dr.) Beverley Smith is a medical practitioner who works in palliative care at the Toronto Grace Health Centre.