Take Heart

Intangible Gifts with Sara Clime

December 21, 2021 • Amy J Brown, Carrie Holt and Sara Clime • Season 2 • Episode 66

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We often think of the three gifts the wisemen gave to Jesus, but what about the intangible gifts of time, worship, and many others. In this episode, Sara encourages us to consider their intangible gifts given to the Savior, and how we can offer these same ones to God and one another.

December 21, 2021; Ep. 66

Timestamps & Key Topics:

  • 0:20-    Intro
  • 1:07-    Matthew 2:1-12
  • 3:28-    Their Intangible Gifts
  • 6:01-    Gift Our Gifts
  • 6:36-    Outro

Episode Links & Resources:

  • Scripture mentioned: Matthew 2:1-12

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Sara Clime  0:20  
Welcome to Takke Heart where our goal is to offer encouragement, give hope and insight, so you can flourish in your journey as a special needs mom. As we explore monthly themes, share inspiring stories and practical tips, our desire is to continue to serve you and new listeners. Did you know that we have a monthly newsletter each month that contains a brand new encouraging Spotify playlist and a monthly prayer? We also have a new resource on our website called Seven Advocacy Practices and Pitfalls. Maybe you or a friend prefers reading to listening. Did you know there's a full transcript of all of our episodes on our website under the episodes tab? You can help us spread the word by subscribing, leaving a review and sharing the podcast with others. Amy, Carrie, and I want to thank you for joining us today.

(1:01) Hi, it's Sara this week and we hope that you have been enjoying our special Advent series this month. What I want to talk to you about today is about the wise men's gifts. When we think of the wise men's gifts, we think of what they brought to baby Jesus: gold, frankincense and myrrh. Although there is profound significance to each of those gifts, I want to focus on the intangible gifts the wise men bestowed. During this season, it is so easy to focus on the tangible gifts. May we not forget the intangible gifts this season can bring if we open our hearts to them. You can find the wise men story in Matthew 2:1-12, and the following passage is from the NIV. "After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where's the one who has been born king of the Jews. We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him." When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: 'But you Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.'" Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them that the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him." After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 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 the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route." So towards the end of this passage in verse 11, we read of the tangible gifts the wise men brought: the gold, frankincense and myrrh. There is spiritual significance to each of these gifts as well as practical and medicinal properties. Those gifts were given with care and intention. However, today I want to talk about the intangible gifts the wise men gave to the Messiah and inadvertently to us even over 2000 years later. 

(3:28) First, I think it's important to understand just who the wise men were. There is a holiday song entitled We Three Kings, and the wise men weren't actually kings, they were Magi. Magi were educated and distinguished men who studied prophecies and the stars. Due to their studies of the stars and scripture, they would have been aware of the importance of the star leading to Jesus's birthplace. The wise man gave the gift of time and effort. In verse one, it says that these men traveled from the east. They were foreigners to this land, and even though they were prominent men, traveling at this time was long and most likely arduous. Even though they most likely fared better in their travels than the average person at that time, they still had to give up daily luxuries in order to travel to a foreign land for an unknown length of time. The wise man gave the gift of celebration when they saw the star. They were overjoyed. They gave the gift of humility. They were not traveling to be acknowledged for who they were or their accomplishments. They were traveling to humble themselves before the king of the Jews. When they did find Jesus, they bowed down and worshipped him. The wise men gave the gifts of their talent and skills. Their occupation, for lack of a better word, was to study the stars and understand the prophecies well. They not only studied but used those skills and education to step out on faith when it mattered the most. The wiseman also gave the gift of discernment and trust when they chose to follow the star. We can study and study God's Word, yet still doubt its accuracy and goodness. Maybe that's just me, but we can study the word and still not know God. We can study scriptures and still doubt its truth at times. So when the wise men chose to leave their lands, they were going off of more than just their intellect. They were trusting in the prophecies of the Scripture. Ultimately, they were willing to give the gift of their lives, the ultimate sacrifice. See, King Herod wanted to kill Jesus and in verse eight, lied to the Wiseman. Herod wanted them to tell him where he could find the newborn king, so he could worship him as well. But they trusted their dreams, not to go back to Herod. I'd like to say it was the modern-day equivalent of a serious gut check. It even said they returned to their lands via a different route. I'm assuming this was longer and more difficult, and King Herod was ruthless. Hee was willing to kill Jesus. I'm sure the Magi knew their lives were in danger if they were caught disobeying Herod's orders. Finally, the wise men gave the gift of testimony. They wouldn't have kept this to themselves. They would have provided an accounting for their journeys and provided testimony to others. 

(6:01) As we go into the new year, let's take the lessons from the wise men's gifts and bring them into our daily lives. Let's celebrate our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, through not only tangible gifts, but our time and effort, our intention, training and intellect, our unbridled joy and celebration, humility, trust, discernment and understanding, sacrifice, and most importantly our testimony to others.

(6:36) Thank you for joining us this week on Take Heart. Our prayer each week is for your heart to be encouraged. We are grateful you are walking on this journey with us. Be sure to subscribe to our monthly newsletter at www.takeheartspecialmoms.com, and follow us on Instagram or Facebook @takeheartspecialmoms. If you have any questions or comments, follow the links in our show notes. We love hearing from our listeners. Thank you for listening. We are taking next week off, so we will join you again in January when we talk about loneliness.