Editorial December 24, 2018 ISSUE

What will you give?

Robin Hoagland

The story is iconic. Three wise men. Gold, frankincense, and myrrh—gifts worthy of royalty. A destination of Bethlehem, where a child of prophecy has been born.

This nativity narrative with its roots in the Bible (see Matthew 2:1–12) has permeated the traditions of Christmas for nearly two thousand years. Perhaps it’s so familiar that we can lose the much-needed power of its message today. The gift-giving component has been lifted up and out of the story, and an abundance of material goods fills the carts of holiday shoppers. But without a spiritual context, this season can devolve into one of stress and exhaustion—quite the opposite of the joyful acknowledgment of a new era that these original travelers expressed.

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Bible Lens—December 24–30, 2018