Stress Test Devotional April 20
April 20, 2024
MATTHEW 2:7-11 | Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
The wise men were gift givers. They brought treasure chests and gave gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to Joseph and Mary and the baby Jesus. Gold is still a very valuable commodity, commanding many dollars per ounce. Frankincense and myrrh are spices. In a world without currencies or banks, rare spices were a form of portable cash, since other valuable things that could be traded were bulky. Spices remained incredibly valuable, incidentally, until recently. Our continent was discovered by explorers seeking a water route to gather them from India. The wise men’s gifts were crucial for the holy family, since they had to flee into the foreign land of Egypt to escape Herod’s infanticide, and they had few resources.
Wise Christians are generous in wise ways. In particular, investments in human lives yield ongoing results that can multiply. Prayerful, powerful Kingdom-building efforts merit support. The Messiah is still saving and changing lives. The wise men never made a better investment. When it comes to resources, random acts of kindness are not enough!
Is your generosity wise?
How can you tell?
What is the best Christmas gift you have ever been given?
