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As I stated last week, Christmas is my favorite time of the year. I love all things Christmas including the decorations. One of my favorite decorations is the nativity scene. Looking at Jesus in the manger and Mary and Joseph there with him. Seeing the animals and shepherds there, I love it. Although there are some people in the Christmas decoration of the nativity that were not there at the birth of Jesus, the wise men. I joke and tell people to take the wise men and put them on the other side of the room because at that time they were still traveling to see Jesus. 

While the wise men may not have been in Bethlehem when Jesus was born, they still play a major role in the early life of Jesus. There is a reason we read about them. The shepherds show how Jesus is for everyone by being low in economical status and being the first to see him. The wise men are the opposite. They are well educated, have high economic status, and are looked at as leaders. Still proving the same point Jesus is for everyone. 

The story of how the wise men get to Jesus is incredible. They follow a star in the sky that stayed in place day and night. It is thought that they traveled 800-1,200 miles. There is not an exact time frame of when they arrived to see Jesus. Some say 40 days after the birth others say a year plus. Either way, they traveled a long way to find him. When they arrived they brought amazing gifts fit for a king.

When thinking about the wise men and their long journey I have to stop and ask myself, how far would I go for Jesus? It’s easy to stay in our comfortable bubble and celebrate Christmas the way we always do. How can this year be different? The world says stay comfortable, but God says go. How can we get into a mindset life of the wise men that says I will follow you anywhere?