• Holding the door for someone
• Thinking about what other people would like and then getting it or
doing it for them
• Offering encouragement
• Doing our best to be just, merciful, and humble with the people around
us (See Micah 6:8)
• Expressing gratitude to the Lord and the people around us
These are some of the Christmas presents that we can plan to give to the
Lord every year. And just as the magi were wealthy enough to afford those
precious gifts, our intellect is also rich enough to plan for and acquire these
precious gifts – gifts which we ultimately receive from the Lord and gratefully
return to Him in the form of love for others.
So this Christmas and New Year, as we think about ways to become more
loving people, remember to follow the Star – that “idea of love” which can lead
us to the Lord.
“You cannot be spiritually reborn without some knowledge of the new or
spiritual life.” (New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine 177)
Our intellect is designed to be able to use this knowledge to navigate the
journey of our spiritual growth. So if we want to become more loving, we
need to make a plan and map out how we will get there, just as the magi had
to map out their journey to the Lord. And when we come face to face with
opportunities to love, remember that there are always some gifts of goodness
that we can offer to the Lord and others. We can use our intellect to “open our
treasures” and give of ourselves to others. This is the story of finding the Lord
in our lives.
“The star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and
stood over where the young Child was.” (Matthew 2:9)
Amen.
601