The Magi Got it!

I was leading a lesson the other day about the Christmas Story. Not the movie but the actual story about Jesus coming to earth as a baby thing and I noticed that the kids I was teaching were all squirming in their seats and restless and bored. It’s not that I was teaching in a boring way or that the content was boring. I think it was because most of the kids in the room that day had already put the Christmas Story on their mental shelves and had other things on their minds.

Just from the conversations I heard, most of the boys in the room were much too excited about the video game console or player they were expecting to get and many of the girls were already accessorizing their iPhone that they were expecting they would receive. By the way, did I mention this was a 4th & 5th grade class?

I know there is plenty of data out there that could educate me on the psychological effects that video games and phones have on our minds and especially the minds of kids. In addition, I’m sure that I’m just getting older and less tolerant of the behavior and attitudes of kids in general but regardless, these kids were flat-out checked out. My question is, what ever happened to the “magic’ of Christmas?

By magic, I’m not talking the gifts, décor, and traditions, I’m talking about the excitement and awe-struck anticipation of the coming savior. Perhaps, I should call it the “Magi” of Christmas, simply because the Magi got it. They searched for a sign of the coming savior, received it in bright star, loaded up their lives and headed out in search of that savior. They traveled hundreds of miles and prepared in advance to bring precious gifts they thought to be worthy of the king of kings. They did all of this for just a brief interaction with Jesus…to worship Him. The Magi should inspire us with their relentless pursuit of their savior.

This season, I hope you spend a few more minutes with your children and share with them that the birth of Jesus is a time for us to celebrate his coming to Earth as our savior and not just a cute baby in a manger. It should remind us of why Jesus came in the first place – to save all of us from a Hell-bound existance. So, the next time you hear “Jesus is the reason for the season” remind yourself that actually “we are the reason for the season.” Be like the Magi this Christmas and seek your savior with much excitement and awe-struck anticipation. Merry Christmas!

B