"Want to go see babies?" someone asked, pointing to the hallway of the hospital nursery. "What for? Just a bunch of babies sleeping away," he said with disinterest. He then cynically added, "They don't even know you are there anyway."
Admittedly, we can entertain a baby to smile, but the interaction between adult and baby is rather limited and one-way. So, what do we really get out of time spent with babies?
The Magi, the wise men mentioned in Matthew 2, journeyed from the east and devoted much time and many resources to find and visit just one baby — baby Jesus. They must have had some real good reasons to undertake such a costly trip! So why did they make such a long and dangerous journey just to see this baby?
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him." (Matthew 2:1-2 ESV)
What interested these Magi in the newborn King of the Jews?
What potential and immediate benefits would these wise men reap for their trouble and tribute?
As men of social standing, were they thoroughly disappointed that Jesus' father was a mere carpenter?
And, were the gifts too excessive and extravagant for a "kid" who would never know the givers?
The wise men said they came only to worship the King. Many feel worship of the King of kings is much like spending time with a baby, limited and one-way. They ask, "What do I get out of it?" So maybe we ought to ask ourselves the question, "Why do I seek Jesus?"
Let's pray our answer is the same as the answer of the Magi. "We have come to worship him!"
