Gifts have become the centerpiece of too many Christmas celebrations. A home must have a Christmas tree so there’s a place to display the brightly wrapped packages or shiny gift bags. Too bad most of us have forgotten the weight of meaning behind the first three gifts given on Christmas.
These wise men traveled for many months. Their treasures may have tempted bandits on the road. But personal safety didn’t rank higher than worshiping the King of kings.
Gold’s value remains high. The day this post was written, gold was valued at $1,754 per ounce. You can be sure the wise man from the east brought many ounces of gold, perhaps many pounds. It was a costly gift.
Jesus would like the gift of our time today. It’s a precious resource, and too often we spend it on everything but celebrating the Savior of the world.
The gift of frankincense indicated this new king was worthy of worship. Its oil was made into incense that burned in the temple and other holy places.
It wasn’t enough for the king from the orient to bow on his knee before this child. He wanted to worship him with a lasting gift. Frankincense is another costly item, and it’s used in natural healing for many maladies.
But why bring a baby myrrh? That ointment would only be used to treat a dead body.
Because this wise man understood the truth. It wasn’t the birth of Jesus that brought peace and good will to everyone on earth. Only Jesus’ death could do that.
During this Advent season, reflect on the importance of those first three gifts. Thank the Lord for providing the eternal gift of salvation.
What gifts have you brought to Jesus this Christmas?
A Pew Perspective 