NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS FOR WISE MEN AND WOMEN
Matthew 2:1-12
January 3, 2010 ~ Epiphany Sunday
Rev. Janet Robertson Duggins
I always think it’s too bad that in our culture and in our part of the Christian tradition, we don’t make a big deal of Epiphany. For most people, it seems that Christmas comes to an end kind of abruptly after the New Year’s Eve party or on the morning of the 26th, or maybe even as soon as the last gift is opened… then it’s all over for another year. The decorations come down and get packed away and we find ourselves – maybe with relief, maybe with regret – back in the ordinary routine.
That’s a shame, because without some transition or connection it’s kind of hard to take anything of Christmas or its meaning with us into the routine of the new year. The meaning of Christmas almost seems to get packed away with the lights and the nativity scene. But Epiphany offers just that transition.
You get a clue to that when you know what Epiphany means. It’s got nothing to do with a conclusion to the Christmas season, but means ”revealing.” Almost as if to say, “NOW we really start to see what it’s all about.”
The story of the wise men – men who came from a distant place and a foreign culture and a different stratum of society looking for the baby Jesus – has come to be symbolic of the revealing of Christ to the world. Matthew’s gospel, interested though it is in establishing Jesus as the promised Savior the Jewish people had long awaited, also makes clear from the beginning that Jesus is to be understood as a Savior for all people. The light that drew the wise men from far away is understood as a light that will always draw in people from different places and cultures and status, who will then carry the story with them to their own corners of world. The story of Jesus’ birth will be told and told again, and people in all kinds of places will welcome and worship him, and his light will shine in their darkness.
As we begin a new year, I thought we might look to the wise men’s story to help us think about how we will move from Christmas into whatever it is that comes next in our lives; that we might consider how to bring something of Christmas with us rather than just pack it all away and forget about it until next December.
Resolutions for do-it-yourself self-improvement don’t usually go far; but maybe taking some cues from the wise men will provide us with a more solid and dependable bridge from Christmas into the new year. Call these “resolutions” if you want, or maybe just “wisdom” for the new year’s journey… from the wise men:
First: Be a seeker, not a skeptic. It seems pretty clear from the story that the wise men couldn’t have fully and completely answered every question about where they were going and what they would find. (And I’m not sure that even after the journey they had all the answers.) I can well imagine that among their friends and acquaintances some must have looked at this trip as sheer craziness. But one thing is patently obvious: if they had determined not to believe in mysteries, not to watch for signs in the stars and other places, not to have hope, not to entertain the possibility that God would speak… there would be no story. If skepticism had won out they’d have never left home. This year, at least entertain the possibility that there is something to seek, that God might speak or lead, that new insight might move you, that there is something still to learn, that the good news still has power to transform.
Second: Realize that not knowing all is part of the journey. This is really hard for us. We want to have all the info up front; we like to know what we’re getting into. We like to have goals, a plan, and well-defined steps to follow. The wise men’s story suggests that they had none of that. Goals and plans are all very well, mind you – they can be good for us as individuals, as families, as a congregation. But sometimes, I guess because we aren’t in control of everything (imagine that!), our plans don’t quite work out as we expect. Unanticipated problems – or opportunities – pop up. Sometimes God leads us in a direction that’s completely different from where we expected to go.
We tend to get kind of mad when – well, I do – when I can’t make everything work out as I planned. But that’s my unrealistic expectation. When I’m being honest I realize that I was never supposed to be able to know or control everything. The nature of this journey we are on is that we go forward, knowing only a little, not knowing where the next step will take us, realizing there is a lot we cannot predict or control… but we don’t go alone or without help.
This year, trust that God will provide, if not the answers to all our questions, light enough so that we can continue to walk the road.
That brings me to the third bit of wisdom: Don’t forget that you have companions on the journey. Is it coincidental that the story is about wise men – plural – and not just about one wise man? I don’t know but it fits with the biblical emphasis on community, on a shared journey. Not only does God light the way, God blesses us with people to walk beside us. This year, don’t forget that you don’t have to struggle with anything alone.
Next: Ask directions, but be careful who you ask. This is not unrelated to realizing that you don’t know everything. The desire not to appear stupid or needy or weak or lacking in independence is very strong in us. But the truth is that there are those who have knowledge and wisdom… and perspective… that we don’t have. The biggest part of wisdom is knowing what it is you don’t know and when to ask for help.
There are lots of people you can ask: professionals of various kinds, of course, but also those who have experienced challenges similar to your own. There are older and more experienced folks; sometimes they are the ones to listen to. But sometimes someone younger brings a different perspective we need. There are friends, people who love you, those whose faith and prayerfulness you respect, people who have a depth of knowledge in a particular area, people who are different enough from you to offer wisdom that may not occur to you… and plenty of folks eager to give you advice whether you want it or not. And of course there is lots of information (and misinformation) out there in books and on the internet. As the wise men eventually learned, not every person and not every source is trustworthy. Consider carefully whether those you turn to for guidance are themselves guided by the love and justice of God. Prayer that listens carefully for the stirrings of God’s Spirit can guide us to the companions and helpers who can steer us in the right direction.
The fifth, and perhaps the most important part of the wise journey is worship. It always seems to me that the center of the wise men’s story is that moment of kneeling down in the presence of Jesus. It’s almost as if the action just comes to a stop for a moment – or for an hour or a day, who knows how long? – as they bow down and worship. The rest of the story either leads up to or out from that sacred time of peace and light in the presence of God’s love and holiness.
This year, make worship a regular and intentional commitment in your life. Acknowledge that God is God and you are not. Be still in God’s presence. Give thanks and praise. Every Sunday that you are able, gather with other Christians – here or wherever you are – to worship together. But a few worshipful moments each day can provide a center of holiness – and wholeness – in the midst of our journeys as well.
Sixth: Be generous. Offer your gifts, whatever gifts you have. Will there be times when you regret generosity? Probably, but you are far more likely to regret a failure to be generous. What do you have that you value? This year, figure out how to share that treasure.
Finally: Go a different way. Once they finally understood that Herod was a dangerous man (and that they had made a mistake in stopping by his palace for directions!) the wise men went home a different way to avoid him. You may not have anything or anyone quite so destructive to avoid, but there are certainly other kinds of dangers. One is to be unwilling to admit mistakes and change direction. Another is to get stuck in ruts so deep that no light, no hope, nothing new can get through to us. Routine is comfortable and feels safe, but the journey of life isn’t meant to be all routine.
This year, determine that you will do something new, or that you will do something differently. Even if it’s a small thing. Volunteer for a task you haven’t done before. Change your routine. Go somewhere you haven’t gone before. Learn about something you know nothing about. Take the initiative to reach out to someone rather than waiting to be asked. Try a different spiritual practice for a month. Ask a question you’ve been wondering about. Speak up instead of being silent. Listen instead of coming up with a quick answer. If something in your life doesn’t seem right, ask yourself what you can do differently. If you get a star gift that puzzles you, look at it as a chance to explore a new idea or to see new possibilities.
Enter the journey of this new year not as return to the same old routine but as an adventure undergirded by wisdom of the magi. Instead of seeing Christmas as a a separate and temporary - but now OVER – season, think of Epiphany as the bridge that connects it to the rest of the year. Instead of packing it all away until next December, let’s be the wiser for having celebrated the birth of Jesus, let’s carry something of the comfort and light and sacredness of this season into 2010. Amen.