VIDEO Fit for a King! Humility – The Wise Men

Fit for a King! Humility

And when [the Magi] had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Matthew 2:11

The Japanese people are the most willing to demonstrate humility in public—by bowing. There are multiple degrees of bowing—from a slight bow when greeting others to a ninety-degree, right-angle bow from the waist, held for an appropriate length of time, when sincere humility or apology is called for. In extreme cases, a bow from a kneeling position is executed.

Kneeling, even prostrating oneself, is a typical act of humility. It’s the kind of worshipful humility demonstrated by the Magi when they entered the place where the Christ-Child lay: “They . . . fell down and worshiped Him” before presenting their gifts to Him. These were important men in their Persian culture, making their obeisance toward a Child all the more meaningful. Humility is the sign of our recognition of our place in God’s world.

How might we humble ourselves before Christ this Christmas? By bowing before Him—spiritually, even physically—as a demonstration of our recognition of His Lordship in our life.

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The Wise Men