In this reflective time of year, I’m reminded that the story of Jesus’s birth is not only supernatural but also multicultural. There were many moving parts — people prearranged to protect and provide for the vulnerable young family of Mary, Joseph and Jesus. I've been thinking about the Wise Men from the East who traveled to Jerusalem in search of the Child King.
As I wrote in Following the Path of Light, there were supernatural interventions — angelic messengers sent to both Mary and Joseph. And on the night of Jesus’s birth, there were angelic messengers for the shepherds.
The Wise Men received another type of supernatural message: a star that led them to the land of Judah to seek the King of the Jews.
Perhaps it was due to their study of the stars and planets, as in astrology, that led them to recognize the marvelous event of that brilliant light in the heavens.
Perhaps it was their knowledge of ancient prophecies foretelling the birth of the King at a specific point in history.
Perhaps they were followers of Jehovah themselves due to Jewish influence in Babylon and eastern lands as a result of the Diaspora.
Perhaps all three or combinations of the three.
What we do know is they came from distant foreign cultures sincerely seeking truth and light and carrying riches for their worship. And despite King Herod's meddling and sinister schemes, God did not allow them to be turned away from their journey’s goal — seeing and worshipping the Child King. They followed and ultimately saw the Light.
God used the most curious variety of people from varying cultures to welcome and provide for the new Messiah. The Spirit brought possibly “heathen” influences and “heathen” cultures into the formative years of the young child Jesus. After the Wise Men were warned in a dream to avoid reporting to Herod about their visit to Bethlehem, Joseph was also warned in a dream to flee with his family to another heathen land, Egypt, for an extended time to be protected from Herod’s maniacal killing spree of baby boys who might contest his throne.
Considering all the players, places and stirrings in this story, I think of my own life and what I've learned. As I shared in Westward Toward the Light, God uses the unexpected to meet our needs for protection, encouragement, housing — among other things. And God still often uses those from the “outside”.
Those of us from a church background have largely been discouraged from considering spiritual, emotional and psychological inputs into our lives from “unbelievers”. But I've seen the power of the Spirit to capture any life — apart from church systems — and use that life in a beautiful way. These are lives that bring a different perspective and the Spirit’s light, encouragement and affirmation.
I've seen this with astrologers the Spirit has brought across my path, intuitive advisors, psychic mediums, Native American elders, energy workers, poets, musicians, filmmakers, artists, people of Hindu, Muslim, Jewish or other faiths, Qigong and yoga instructors, etc. None of these operate under the Christian label, but their resonance with Christ’s Light is real, and I often prefer their perspectives over the Christian ones, because there is no burden of maintaining a Christian standard or image.
God has used people from different cultures and varied approaches of Divine understanding to enrich and provide for my life. Those whose hearts are oriented toward the Light have blessed me and have spoken truth into my life that resonates with the Spirit of Jesus.
And that is why I love this story of Mary, Joseph and Jesus being visited by the Wise Men from the East. The Magi were true worshippers, true seekers of light and truth, even though they might have been considered heathen in the Jewish culture of that time. And through them and their gifts, Mary and Joseph were once again filled with wonder at God's love for them and their precious child. They were made keenly aware that this child would have no ordinary life, as they received gifts and treatment befitting a king.
I figure if God wanted multicultural and foreign (even heathen) influences in the life of Jesus, He would want the same in my life. I sense that God would want that for all of us — an opportunity to see the holy, the set apart, in many different forms and people. And to be impressed that the Divine Source is so immense that anybody can be reached with the Light and serve the Light.
In this season of Light and Hope, I pray we keep our hearts open to Divine Provision from any source, like the humble people in this story. Emmanuel. God is with us.