The Road Less Traveled

Saturday, 2nd of December 2023

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Imagine being one of the Magi, making a treacherous journey following a celestial phenomenon and ending up in Jerusalem. Then, King Herod secretly calls you in. He wants to know the details of this extraordinary star that led you. Even more, he asks you to find the Child and report back so he can also "worship" Him (Matthew 2:8).

At this moment, you might think you've found an ally in Herod, a person of power who also wants to honour this newborn King. But then comes a divine dream—a divine warning instructing you not to return to Herod (Matthew 2:12). You're at a crossroads. Do you honour the king's request, or do you heed the dream? The Magi choose the latter, departing for their own country "another way."

Why? It's all about obedience to God, a theme repeatedly highlighted in the Bible. In Isaiah 1:19, we read, "If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land." And in Acts 5:29, the apostles proclaim, "We must obey God rather than men."

The Magi's obedience led them away from the trap Herod had laid for them, aligning them with divine will. Imagine the courage it took to defy a king! This act underlines a crucial biblical tenet: True wisdom comes from obedience to God, even when it's inconvenient or risky. As Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight."

So, what's the lesson here for us? Obedience to God often requires us to take "another way"—a path that might look foolish or risky to the world. It may involve making choices that go against conventional wisdom, taking a stand for justice, or speaking up for truth when it's easier to remain silent. The Magi, scholars from a foreign land, are prime examples that when you are obedient to God's directives, you align yourself with divine wisdom that "is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere" (James 3:17).

The wisdom of God often confounds human understanding. It challenges our comfort zones, upsets our status quo, but leads us to eternal life (1 Corinthians 1:25). When you find yourself at a crossroads, remember the Magi and consider the "other way"—the way of divine wisdom and obedient action. Your obedience is a testimony of your faith, echoing the apostle Paul's words, "For we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7).

The Road Less Traveled

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