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, 2 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
Take a good look at this nativity scene. Study it for a moment. It should look similar to every other nativity you’ve ever seen before. Jesus is lying in a manger filled with hay; the major characters are in or around a stable of some sort; the star would be shining above; the shepherds came from the field, where they had been watching their flocks; and the 3 wise men came bringing gifts. It’s a nice picture, and we think “That seems about right.” But it’s not. One of the things on my list, according to scripture at least, doesn’t belong. Continue reading