Star Leading to Light

Lesson Eight among the Nine lessons is Matthew 2:1-12.

Searching for the light
Wise men always seek it
Wise women always open their eyes to find it.
In the darkness,
In the absence of God,
We search for the light.

Wise men from the East,
Keeping watch over the skies,
Turned seeking into action
And followed the star.

Trusting logic,
They stopped in the accepted place to find a king
In the most obvious location,
Jerusalem.
A king they found,
Although not the one for whom they were searching.
They found a king,
But not the Light.

They asked for news
Of the one to be born of the Jews.
The question,
instead of the yearning
Felt by the wise men
Created fear among those who would be threatened.

Those who knew the prophecy
Knew that the Bread of Life
Would be found in Bethlehem.
They knew that from the least,
Would arise the King of All.
The Son of God.
Shepherd to Israel.

“Find the light,”
Said the king.
“Find the light
And bring me news
That I might worship him, too.”
Lies spawned from fear.

The wise men followed the light
That led to the light.
They found Mary and Joseph
Obedient to God.
They found the baby,
And worshiped him.
They brought treasures
Gifts which they valued highly
Doing homage to the most high.
Precious gold for royalty
Fragrant tears of frankincense
Holy, portentous myrrh.

The joy was overwhelming,
The moments spent with the child
A treasure unequaled.
Wise men, fooled not by lies,
Obedient to their dreams,
Returned home on a different path,
Their lives changes
By the light.

Image: Rev. Brown of St. Marks UMC in Charleston places wise men in the hallway near his tree. As Epiphany approaches, he moves the men closer and closer to the nativity tree.