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Unintended Outcomes


Do you know what would be really super crazy for a regular blogger to do mid-May? Considering that summer just decided to show up two weeks after the last snow flurries hit the ground, this is so stupid. 

But I'm gonna do it. 

Because. I'm. Stupid.....Crazy!

I'm going to talk about the Christmas story. I don't know how to get around this, other than write something and save it for 7 months. This is really a problem with starting a Gospel reading plan in May. Sure, I could have skipped the early chapters, but the end happened at Easter, so how much of this reading plan can I skip, based on our holiday schedule. 

I digress.

I was reading about the wise men and their jaunt to chase a star. It is interesting, from Matthew 2, that the wise men talk with Herod and the Jewish leaders about where Jesus will be born. We can give Herod a pass from what I am about to say, because he was immediately and obviously threatened. I get that. 

But it says the Jewish leaders were in the audience. Correct me if I am wrong, but aren't these the guys who are descendants of the guys who have been looking for a Messiah for....um.....a long time? I understand that Herod would be a threat, but if you hear about the King who is going to bring freedom, wouldn't you want to check that out? I understand their expectations of a Messiah were different from what Jesus delivered, but they don't know that yet. 

All we see is them sit around and wait to see what happens. 

And a few verses later some lowly shepherds are told.

The shepherds go.
The wise men went.
Even Herod acts upon this information.

But the Jewish leaders who have supposedly been waiting and looking for a Messiah, did not go. They seem to be so lost in the status quo that they forgot heir entire purpose. Astounding.

I pray that when I hear of God acting in this world, I won't be so stuck with what I am busy doing to check it out. I hope that I don't become so busy in my corner of the world that I forget to see what God is doing in the hearts of people. 
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