An artist once painted a simple picture which portrayed an important truth. The painting showed a man rowing a small boat across a stormy lake. It was night, and the fierce waves were threatening to swamp the boat and overturn it; the man was all alone, with no one to help him. In this scene of imminent tragedy, however, the artist also painted in the nighttime sky a single star shining brightly in the darkness. The man kept his eye on the star as he struggled against the dangerous waves. Beneath the picture the artist inscribed the words, “If I lose sight of that star, I am lost” (Pulpit Resource, January 1990, p. 14).
A star led the Wise Men across many miles of desert and rough territory, through lands and nations unknown to them, and even through the snares and dangers of King Herod’s court, to the site of the newborn King of the world; there, at Bethlehem, they discovered the true light from Heaven and the One Who came to save all who were lost. Many people today remain trapped in the darkness of sin, with false lights and tempting voices seeking to lead them astray. Jesus alone is the answer; He is the true star from Heaven, and He is the only light Who can lead us to salvation.
God provides His light to those who seek it, but He does not force anyone to accept it or follow it. The Book of the Prophet Isaiah (60:1-6) speaks of the glory of the Lord shining upon Jerusalem and thereby illuminating the whole world, and our faith teaches us that this promise is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. And the Letter to the Ephesians (3:2-3, 5-6) states, through the preaching of the Gospel, all people are invited to share in this glorious light: Jews and Gentiles alike. Our membership in God’s Kingdom depends not on race or nationality, but upon our willingness to accept what God offers.
The Wise Men were foreigners who knew nothing of the promises God had made to His people; they probably considered their civilization superior to that of the Jews, and under normal circumstances they would have had no reason or desire to make a long and difficult journey to Israel. However, they sought salvation and were open to the truth proclaimed by the light of a star. King Herod, his royal court, and the chief priests and scribes in Jerusalem, were not. Even though they knew that the prophecy foretold the birth of a future king in Bethlehem, their hearts were hardened and their eyes blinded by the desire to hold onto their power and position. God offered them salvation; they chose to cling to a world that was passing away.
This is a time of year which highlights many of the things that blind or mislead people in our society. For example, the past few weeks and the rest of this month are filled with almost non-stop football, with college football bowl and playoff games, the final games of the NFL’s regular season and then pro football playoff games, and the Super Bowl itself next month—which, in terms of the number of people watching, is probably the biggest single event in America all year long. We’re also in the middle of the basketball and hockey seasons, and it won’t be too long before baseball teams begin spring training. Is it possible that our society overemphasizes sports? Definitely—especially when people are too busy playing or watching athletic events to go to church, to spend time with their families, to enjoy God’s blessings, and to pray. Sports cannot offer us either life or salvation.
The same is true of many different subjects of New Year’s resolutions, such as losing weight, improving one’s job skills, or undertaking some sort of self-improvement program. Yes, it’s a good thing to be healthy and attractive, to become more successful at our jobs, and to develop new talents or hobbies—but quite often these things are overdone, and if we’re not careful, they can infringe upon time needed to develop and maintain our relationship with God. Many people are so busy becoming successful or “finding themselves” that they’re losing sight of what really matters, and thereby risking the loss of everything. This isn’t just ironic; it’s tragic.
We can probably think of quite a few other things that call out for our attention: the desire for money and material items, a new car or the latest fashions, the Internet and the information highway, social media, television and other forms of entertainment, smartphones and other electronic devices, status and popularity, relationships with certain people, and so forth. These can all be worthwhile things and are capable of being used for good purposes; however, they can also be dangerous threats which catch us by surprise as they smother us spiritually. Anything that helps us live in a way that glorifies God is good; anything which detracts from His glory and His presence in our lives is bad.
You and I are like that solitary person in a boat, rowing across a lake in the midst of life’s storms, surrounded by darkness yet seeking to reach our destination safely. Jesus is the true light from Heaven; only He can help us reach our goal. If we lose sight of Him, we are lost; if we keep our eyes fixed on Him, we will be saved.
