Wise (and secular?) men (and women?) 

Matthew 2v11: " On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh."

Who knows if there were three of them. We think 'wise men' is better than 'king', but back then there was overlap. They probably were men, but again we can't be sure.

The thing we know for sure is that the Bible records three types of visitor to the young family - angels (symbolic of divine praise), shepherds (symbolic of the everyday person) and these Magi (not your everyday guest). We should also note the absence of religious leaders.

I'm delighted today that there are many clergy and pastors celebrating the divine birth, but have we maybe lost something in our move from the manger to the minster? Where are our Christmas events led by the angels and the shepherds and the wise men? Other blogs here will write about angels (who is comforting you with Good News this season?) and shepherds (are you allowing everyone to share and bring what they can, even if unpolished?) so here I want to ask - who are your 'wise men', and what are they bringing? 

There will be more than three, and I trust of both genders, but these are your business leaders, your middle managers, your vocational workers, your retired people who still have much to offer. These are the people who bring many gifts as important as the gold, frankincense and myrrh - their wisdom of how the world works, their particular skill sets, their often-not-insignificant tithes. As an NHS doctor, the only time I have ever felt my main paid role acknowledged over Christmas was in a prayer for the 'poor healthcare workers who are keeping our hospitals running even today...' and a wise crack about how Mary managed without a doula and a midwife. It seemed to be more important that I invite friends to the guest service, or join the seasonal choir.

As a secular leader, can I offer three ways the Christmas message speaks directly to my whole life:

1. It's a time for rest and for family. I want less services, not more. I want to come off rotas and not be asked to sign up for extra tasks. I need to spend slow time reading and reflecting on the gospel accounts of His birth. Most of your 'wise men' will have quite enough to do with the year end approaching than be asked to serve more. 
2. It's a time for Hope, even when human hope has gone. After an 'advent' spent commuting or working unsocial hours in the winter darkness and the whole year spent 'in the world but not of it', we need to hear that God has a plan and it's going to be okay. We are not called to work full time for the church - instead we are called to do it all again next year. So help us have hope that our secular calling is not all in vain. We want to be His ambassadors - send us out with a message of reconciliation!
3. Help us remember a Saviour who has come to restore and redeem many of the ills we see in our work - to set the prisoner free, to proclaim the year of the Lords favour! Jesus' miracles were not done in a religious building - they were 'out there' in the 'agora' of the marketplace and wider society. They restored people socially and relationally as much as spiritually. Christmas is the pulse that reminds me why I do my job, and His life the compass that tells me how. 

Grace and Peace this season!