during the christmas period, i noticed a startling phenomenon. as i walked around town, everyone was rushing to buy gifts. what's wrong with that u might ask - nothing at all - however the rush caused a lot of thoughtless gifts to be bought. Gifts that appears perfect and a great buy might seem so only for 1 day. well, this is a continual problem each christmas and lest we lose the real meaning of christmas through mindless gift exchanging, let's review how this tradition of giving came about.
"Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that i may come and worship him also. When they had heard the king, they departed; and lo, the star, which they saw in the east, and went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh."
christmas is about jesus christ, it really is. so the wisemen presented baby jesus with gifts - gold, frankincense and myrrh. these gifts are absolutely befitting for the saviour.
gold proves the providence of god. soon after the wisemen left, joseph was commanded by an angel to escape to egypt, away from the hypocritical king herod who sought the blood of christ. without the gold, they would not make the journey to egypt.
frankincense undertoned king of the jews. a precious and valuable substance used as incense and ointment. jewish kings and royalty anoint their first born with frankincense in a ceremony much like the ordination of a crown prince. the wisemen fulfilled the prophecy that christ will be born king of the jews.
myrrh portended christ's mortal mission. another precious and valuable substance, this time interestingly used to embalm the bodies of royalty and nobility. christ's death was being gravely prophecied as this gift was being presented to him, in no disrespect however, only in reverence of this divine act of love - the atonement.
gold, frankincense, and myrrh - gifts of stark justaposition to that of the commercial today. so what are we giving for christmas to our loved ones this year? and more importantly, what gifts are we presenting to our saviour, him whose birth we celebrate with sparkles and revelry?
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