We all know from our Sunday school days about the story of the wise men. They are called Magi. These were men of science, students of astronomy, and students of the body of knowledge of their day. They were seekers of the truth and they had come upon some very important knowledge. But that knowledge alone is not what made them wise. It is what they did with that knowledge that mattered. These wise men knew how to apply the truth they had. And that is what made them wise. What can these magi teach us today? What example do they give us to live by? As we look at several characteristics of their wisdom, if we will be open to follow their example, we may find the ability to live above the level of ordinary mortals.
An Attitude of Expectancy
The first characteristic which typified these wise men was an attitude of expectancy. Expectancy motivated them to seek out the child. Certainly they had knowledge that the King of the Jews would be born. They told Herod they had seen His star while they were still in the east. But merely the having of the knowledge was not enough. I’m sure they could have made note of the sighting of His star in their journal. They could have recorded it for posterity, but they wanted to see for themselves. They were filled with anticipation of what they might discover. So, they became men on a mission. But it was a mission full of hope. They expected to find what they were looking for. In fact, they were so sure they would find Him that they brought the gifts with them. This was no academic endeavor. This had to do with life itself. Expectancy makes all the difference. Expectancy can put one into the Kingdom, or the lack of it can keep one out. In order to come into the Kingdom, we must look to the Lord with hope. We must believe that He can do something in your life. Expectancy says that Christ can make a difference.
On the other hand, if we look to life with a negative, cynical attitude, we never see the possibilities. If that’s the attitude, then we are doomed to live life in the realm of the "what has been" instead of the "what can be." Things are not always what they seem, and if we look at life through cynical eyes, we will never be privileged to see what might have been if we had only dared to hope against hope.
A Willingness to Take the Risk
The next characteristic we find is a willingness to take the risk. Not only did they exhibit certain expectancy, but they also were willing to risk that they were right. We’ve all heard the little cliché, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained." There is truth to that statement. Jesus said it another way. He said, "Seek and ye shall find." In other words, we must step out on our expectation if we would find what we are seeking. The wise men were willing to put their faith to the test of action.
And when you think about it, risk can be faith in action. Risk is what puts the works to faith. It is the wise men hitching up to the camels and starting out across the desert following the star. It is Peter stepping out of the boat to walk on the water. It is Moses being pursued by Pharaoh, stretching out his rod to part the Red Sea. It is Abraham lifting the knife to sacrifice his son, Isaac, believing that God knew what He was doing. It is Joshua marching around the walled city of Jericho, trusting that God would bring the walls down, it is David going forth to face a mighty giant, armed only with a sling and some rocks. It is Nehemiah and his men with a trowel in one hand and a sword in the other, rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. It is Daniel walking into the lion’s den, refusing to leave off his devotion to God. It is the three Hebrew children being willing to be thrown into the fiery furnace rather than disavow their faith in God. It is Paul putting his life on the line in city after city for the cause of Christ.
An Openness to Discovery
The wise men began in expectation and risk. Now, their expectation and risk became discovery. The Scripture says, "And they came into the house and saw the child." They had taken the risk and now they had arrived. They had pushed beyond their horizons. And now they were witnesses of the greatest event in history. They had discovered the child who was king. What they came upon was the God of the universe, who had left His throne in glory to be made a man. They discovered there in Bethlehem the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.
What we behold here is the quality of their faith and wisdom. These wise men were wise indeed. They were able to discern the reality from the show. They knew of the kingdoms of this earth: Caesar’s Rome, the mighty kingdoms of the East. They had passed Herod’s palace, had heard the false claims of religion. But they knew life’s meaning was not there. They saw it in the most unlikely place — in a little, out of the way town, where a baby had been born in a stable. He was not born in a palace or placed in a golden bed. Rather, He was born in the stench of a stable, and found His resting place in a feeding trough. This is not how the world would do it, but true wisdom looks past worldly ways to real truth.
A Heart to Worship
But the wise men didn’t stop with discovery. The wise men were wise because they had a heart to worship Jesus. When they found Jesus, they bowed down and presented the gifts they had brought. This was the fulfillment of their journey and it reveals the wisdom of the wise. The Scripture says, "The fool has said in his heart, there is no God." Far from being foolish, these wise men knew the truth, and I suspect that the truth set them free. They bowed before the King of Kings, who, at that time, was only a babe. We see by the wise men’s actions what worship truly means. They not only bowed before Him, but they gave out of their treasure to Him. They gave gold, which is the gift for a king; frankincense, which is the gift for a priest; and myrrh, which is the gift for one who was to die. They acknowledged Jesus for who He was, and they exhibited, by their actions, their allegiance to Him. True worship is giving — yourself — all you are and all you have.
A Determination to Obey
Finally, the wise men were warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod. It seems that as a result of their worship, God was with them. And here, He gives them immediate instruction. Being wise as they were, they obeyed God’s instructions. This is also a key characteristic of true wisdom — a determination to obey. The only choice which honors God, that we who would be wise have, is to obey. We must put God’s truth into practice. We must apply it to our lives. The wise men did. We can infer this because of their actions. When God spoke to them, they obeyed. They risked incurring Herod’s furor rather than incurring God’s wrath. I think they made a good choice. They had seen a great light, and now they went forth to live in its glory and brightness.
This is also what we must do. We must put into practice the principle the wise men exhibited and live in the grace and glory of that babe in Bethlehem who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We must never lose sight of the reason why we are here. We are here to glorify God and to do his bidding. The wise men still preach to us the virtues by which they lived: expectancy, risk, discovery, worship and obedience. They speak to us about the possibilities in God for all of us. They speak to us about what can happen when we put our faith into action. They speak to us about an encounter with Jesus that can change a life.
