The Joy of Seeking Something Great

I was recently reading the second chapter of Matthew with my children when I was struck by the contrast between the Magi on the one hand and Herod and the people of Jerusalem on the other.

Consider the Magi, the aptly named “Wise Men”, for a second. They see a star and then they think: I bet that signifies the birth of a king! There is no proof of this—indeed, what type of proof could you have that a star signifies something like that? They don’t know who this king is or even where exactly he is; consider for a moment that they stop and ask for directions en route! And yet despite the lack of proof that they will find anything, they travel for months through harsh climate and hostile territory on the chance of meeting and worshiping this supposed king. They were men that pursued evidence, no matter where it led, and passionately sought after the thing that the evidence pointed to all in the hope of finding something greater than themselves. They sought the Truth, and as Christ promises, they found Him. When they found Him they worshiped him and rejoiced.

Contrast this with Herod and the people of Jerusalem. When the Magi tell them that a king has been born they are disturbed and even, according to some translations, afraid. Unlike the Magi who sacrificed vast quantities of wealth and traveled for months on the chance of meeting the newborn king, Herod and the people of Jerusalem would not travel a few hours to see this supposed king. (For Jerusalem and Bethlehem are very close, a ten minute cab ride today.) What is more, in his fear of this new king, in his fear that there might be someone or something greater than him, in his fear that he, Herod, might not be the center of his own life and that he might in fact be accountable to another, Herod unleashed violence against a number of innocent babies in an attempt to destroy the newborn king and secure his own power.

Two thousand years later we are in the same position as Herod and the Magi. There is evidence that a King has been born. Will we imitate the Wise Men and seek Him out? If we do, we too will be filled with joy when we find and worship Him. Or will we be filled with fear like Herod and the people of Jerusalem? Will our fear lead us to lash out as we try to protect our place as “king” of our own lives? These are the only two options open to us—we can worship and follow God or we can worship and serve ourselves.

As a father and head of a classical Christian school I encourage my sons and daughters and I encourage my students to seek and find Christ the King. I want them to see the evidence for His divinity, to dig into this evidence as they honesty seek the Truth, I want them to find Him and then worship and rejoice in Him! I pray that this Christmas season God gives grace to many to overcome fear and pride so that they may seek and find Him, the Goal of all seeking, the embodiment of all Truth, and the source of all Joy.