What if the Wise Men Were in a Hurry?

In the words of the lead vocalist of the British Rock Band Slade, ‘So here it is, Merry Christmas, everybody’s having fun, look to the future, its only just begun.’

Christmas means different things to different people, but for some, it is not the thought of giving and receiving gifts that excites us, but the thought of a break from a busy work schedule. The end of a long school term, a non-stop work routine, a long list of must do’s - come Christmas Eve, we will breath a sigh of relief and crash!

Life in the fast lane can leave us feeling physically and mentally exhausted. But what if the business of life is causing us to miss out on some of those magical moments that give us the vision and vitality for the next season. So here is my question, ‘What if the Wise men were in a hurry?

A classic western view of the Nativity has the Wise Men meandering their way to the manger. Having never ridden a Camel, I am told they can easily outrun most horses, so in terms of everyday transport the Camel is more Sports Car than Station Wagon.

So what if in the grand scheme of things the Wise men had been late to the birthday party? Caught up in the storms of life they had missed the moment. And although thought to be specialists in the subject of astrology, the pressures of everyday life, had caused them to miss the appearance of that star or their appointment with Herod? What if in their haste, they had galloped right past the house and missed the opportunity to be with the Christ child? What if like me, they were more interested in getting there and back and missed those never-to-be-repeated moments in time

There is an old biblical Psalm that says, ‘Be still and know.’ So here is the question:

• What if our inability to rest is robbing us of the next great idea, that new business venture?

• What if our refusal to rest is stopping us from discovering a different approach to an age-old challenge?

• What if the lack of timeout is stopping the floodgates of insight, vision, revelation and understanding opening up to us?

Could it be that during this festive season we all need to press the pause button, to still ourselves or in the words of Bill Murray, to ‘take a vacation from our problem.’[1]

To physically and mentally be still, is something many of us find difficult, if not impossible. But to enjoy a sacred pause and do something completely different from our normal routine, could be the eye-opener we so desperately need. To find time to relax, go for a walk, engage in a sport, enjoy our favourite hobby, to switch off our phones and take our partner for a meal, to read a book, listen to music – the list is endless. But engaging in a holy pause could be the tipping point in our physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing.

We live in a fast-moving society where speed is the essence of all we say and do. But perhaps the wise amongst us would advocate we plan into our busy schedule some downtime – reflective moments that could prove both restful and revelatory, creating a clear vision of the way forward.

From our house to yours, I wish you all restful Christmas and a revelatory New Year.

[1] Bill Murray – Film ‘What about Bob?’