Learning from the wisest, how to find direction for our lives

The advice I’m about to share is inspired by the story of the wise men found in Matthew’s gospel in the Bible. It’s an account many of us know well, thanks to its inclusion in the Birth of Jesus narrative and countless school nativity plays. Honestly, though, it’s a bizarre story which leaves me with as many questions as answers. Still, having prayed through the following passage using the Ignatian method, I am convinced that the mysterious wise men have much to teach us about following God’s direction in our lives. It doesn’t require us to follow a star (although that would be fun!)

When I refer to direction in our lives, I’m writing about the many big decisions we have to make, such as whether and who to marry, which job to take and where to live. We have some great resources in the bible, such as the Ten Commandments, for making moral choices, but in my experience, Christians can struggle much more with life choices and wish they could hear God more clearly and know when to act. I hope this article will help.

Let’s begin by reading through the story:

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Matthew 2:1-12

At the time, it must have seemed odd that a group of wealthy men from a distant land came to worship a newborn King in a foreign country. Yet, in hindsight, we know that the wise men may have been included in the gospel story because Jesus came to earth and lived and died to save people from every nation, not just the Jews. God made sure outsiders knew about Jesus’ birth to illustrate this. Later on, Mary, Joseph and Jesus have to flee to Egypt because Herod decides to kill all newborn boys to eliminate any future rivals; it is likely the wise men’s gifts provided the surety for their escape and helped pay their way through Egypt. The wise men played a crucial role in Jesus’ life.

I also want my actions to be part of God’s bigger plan for humankind. It would be great to know that my life and decisions play a role in bringing about his Kingdom, just as the wise men’s deeds did. Here’s what I think we can learn from the wise men about being part of something greater than ourselves. After each of my thoughts, there are questions to ask yourself.

• The wise men were learned. They knew how to interpret the movement of the stars, and though some people may call this astrology, it would have involved scientific methods, too. They knew history as well and could connect ancient prophecies to alterations in the trajectories of stars and comets.
  • What do you need to learn about so you are ready to follow God’s plans for you? Can you apply yourself to gaining a new skill or attending a course so you can say ‘yes’ when He says ‘go’?
• The wise men gave up their time and wealth so they could make the trip to Bethlehem. It was a risk to leave their homeland, but they took it.
  • Do you need to switch how you use your time and resources to make yourself available for change? What are you willing to risk? Is your risk aversion preventing you from following God’s will for your life?
• When the wise men reached Jerusalem, they told everyone, including Herod, what they knew. They gladly shared their knowledge so others could celebrate the birth of a new King.
  • Do you need to share your hopes and plans with others who can help those aspirations become a reality?
• Herod consulted his scholars and was able to advise the wise men to go to Bethlehem.
  • Are you willing to ask for and follow the advice of others, especially those who know more than you?
• The wise men took Herod’s advice. They didn’t argue or give up.
  • Are you willing to take the first step and continue following God, even when it takes longer and costs more?
• Can you imagine what the wise men thought of Joseph and Mary when they arrived at their temporary home? Having travelled so far, they met with a regular family in a regular house. Yet, the wise men worshipped Jesus; they were not snobbish.
  • Are you looking down on various options or writing some off because you think you are too good for certain people or places?
• Despite Jesus and his family not appearing royal by any standard, the wise men still presented their gifts. They did not think the family was unworthy of them.
  • How can your generosity enable others?
• Can you imagine the conversation the wise men had with each other as they left Joseph, Mary and Jesus? They might have thought that meeting them was a letdown after journeying so far. One might have complained that giving such a lowly family expensive gifts was a waste; that kind of family wouldn’t know what to do with them or appreciate them. It might have been later that night when God spoke to the wise men in a dream, which confirmed that they had found the correct family. The Holy Spirit can use dreams and other supernatural signs to guide us.
  • Sometimes, we must act, and then the Holy Spirit will later confirm we did the right thing. Are you OK with this? Some people will pray and wait for a sign before acting, and then they might stop listening. Are you continuously listening to God? Are you attentive to the Holy Spirit and open to supernatural signs?
• The wise men only knew their part of the redemption story; it might not have made much sense to them. They probably did not know Joseph and his family would flee soon after, and they probably knew nothing of the life of Jesus later on.
  • Are you content with only knowing part of what God is doing? Do you trust him to use your life, even if you don’t see all the positives that may come from it?

I hope and pray that some of my questions and thoughts have been useful to you today. If you’ve read this far, thank you, and if you’d like to explore this topic further, may I suggest reading a copy of my book Destination: Transformation, A forty-day Journey to Change the World, written for people with Baggage.

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DislocatedChristians exists to create and support a community of like-minded people. I’ve described myself as Dislocated because I sometimes struggle to understand how God wants me to be in the world, but not of the world. I also move house a lot!

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