Magi

 “A few of my favorite movies are the “Toy Story” movies, because they are written very well, that it makes me cry. Now I admit, I don’t mind saying I cry at movies, especially when I can relate to them or they touch my heart. The first movie has the toys that have been a part of Andy’s world for a while and he’s having a birthday party, where the toys are intently listening to see if they're going to be replaced by any new toys. Pixar does such a great job of taking ordinary toys, that I grew up with or my kids and grandkids enjoy and making them come alive. One of my favorite lines in the movie is when the army man announces the next gift and they say, “bed sheets”, Mr Potato responds with, “who invited that kid?” They finally get to the new toy, Buzz Lightyear, the new and improved spaceman who has all the bells and whistles.

When the Magi came bearing gifts to the newborn King, they brought gold, frankincense,  and myrrh. Now gold I can see but the other two, “you could hear someone at the house yelling, “who invited those Magi?” Now if you’re not familiar with the meaning then maybe we need to understand what kind of gifts were brought. The three gifts had a spiritual meaning: gold as a symbol of kingship on earth, frankincense (an incense) as a symbol of deity, and myrrh (an embalming oil) as a symbol of death. Isaiah 9 says, 

““For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” ‭(ESV‬‬)

Jesus came to give His life and the Magi knew this. Now the magi didn’t have a Walmart on the way and Amazon’s camels were probably busy delivering other orders, so it wasn’t a last minute idea and these were actually thoughtful gifts. Too many times gifts are not thought out whether on birthdays or Christmas, and by the time January comes around many are broken, returned and or on the shelf like Woody in Toy Story Two. 

Some scholars believe that these gifts might have been used by Joseph to support his family as they went to Egypt after the Angel appeared to him to take his family there, because of Herod wanting to kill all boys two years and younger. (This also reminds us that the nativity scenes are cool, with baby Jesus in a manger, but the Magi didn’t show up until Jesus was almost Two years old.) 

Unlike the toys in Toy Story, God doesn’t want to replace us with new shinier toys, and we aren’t robots that are programmed to be His minions. He chose to loves us by dying and giving us the ultimate FREE thought out, not last minute gift. He desires our true and full worship, like the Magi came to do, with our  heart fully abandoned to Him. We can’t just show up twice a year to God and then blame Him for all the bad or think of Him like a “toy.” He is not a “child’s” play thing!” 

We need to be like Woody doing everything he could to get him and Buzz back to Andy, after getting lost. We get lost too and should repent and do all we can to get back to Jesus, bringing our best! He was born a humble King, who is God, but suffered as a sinless man to die, as a gift for us to receive eternal salvation, if we repent and accept Him as our Lord and Savior! His love is, “To eternity and beyond!” Jose Barajas