There was someone on the radio this week lamenting that elders are not respected in this country. It got me thinking. There’s a connotation of wisdom around the word ‘elder’, rather than one only of age, like ‘elderly’. How old would one have to be, to be called an elder? I wonder whether those of that age would think of themselves as elders? Would they feel as if they had to behave differently if they did?

The wise men, or magi, from our gospel reading came from the East, most likely from Sheba. The word magi is the source of many of our words: ‘magician’, magistrate, and majesty. It was used in the Old Testament for the King’s personal advisors. The wise men who came to see Jesus were probably not kings, but they obviously felt confident in royal circles, as the first thing they did was to approach the king, Herod. The gifts were precious and valuable. They had the status of gifts given to a king from a king.

It’s likely that the wise men were important, influential people in their home country. They were probably consulted for their knowledge: not the factual kind, but that of breadth and intelligence, combined with experience and pragmatism. It didn’t occur to them that the newborn king whose star they saw would be any other than a king born to an existing human king. They were unaware of the danger they had placed themselves, the baby and his family in thanks to their visit to Herod. They were wise enough, however, to listen to the warning given in a dream to return by another road.

We mark this event as The Epiphany because it was the revelation to outsiders, or gentiles, that the anointed one, the Messiah was born. God had led the wise men. They listened and served God. This is a lesson in itself, for future generations - and for us. Wisdom says listen to God’s voice, and trust in him. To do this, we need to draw ever closer to God in relationship, by setting time aside for daily prayer. God is always with us, but we are not always with God. We need to show up, to consciously spend time with God. This would make a good New Year’s resolution.

God’s voice might come to us in a number of ways: it could be during prayer, maybe through the words of other people, in the words of the scriptures, in dreams or visions, at a sacred place, by way of the natural world, or perhaps an inner ‘knowing’. It will always be given to us in more than one way if we’re not sure it’s from God. We must use discernment wisely so that we don’t follow our own desires or imaginations. And it will always pass the test of love: God will never ever invite us to do anything which harms other people - only the opposite, to do what is good and right.

Paul, in his letter to the church in Ephesus, reminded the people of his calling to share the good news of the gift of Christ, ‘so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known.’ We are the present day church. It is for us to share the good news too.

Having pondered, I’ve concluded that wisdom doesn’t necessarily come with age: not everyone becomes an elder. When it does come to any one of us it’s also tied in with the responsibility to share it - as with all God’s gifts.

Whatever our calling, being a follower of Jesus for every one of us means sharing ourselves and him, with everyone we meet. By the grace of God, we like St Paul and St Peter will be given the boldness and confidence we need to do that in 2023, through our faith in Jesus Christ.

Happy New Year everybody!

Amen.

Julie Rubidge, Lay Minister