The Christmas season is already here with us. Me ma wo Afehyia pa!
We all know this season is full of festivities and parties and giving of gifts/parcels. Parents are getting gifts for their children, marriage couples for their significant others, boyfriends are getting in debt for the girlfriends, and singles are getting… (See image below).
I want us to consider some great gifts we can have and also give to others. You’ve probably heard of this story more than a couple of times, I only want to point out some few things a wise man (Papa Sconti) shared with me. This will change your life.
1-2 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw HIS STAR when it rose and have come to worship Him.”
11 And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him Gifts: GOLD and FRANKINCENSE and MYRRH. ~ Matthew 2:1-2, 11 #Bible
- In v2 the Wise men said, “For we saw HIS STAR…” Not ‘a star‘, not ‘the star‘, but ‘HIS star.’
- Beloved this suggests that everyone has their own star! Which goes on to say that we’re all different.
- Our different stars signify our uniqueness. You have your own Star, I have mine.
And just as Jesus’ star attracted particular people and particular gifts/parcels, so does your star. People are with you because of what they see.
- It is important that your star attracts some gifts to your life.
- From the story, there are three gifts of people that our star should attract: Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.
#The Gift Of Gold: If people in your life are not like gold: resourceful, valuable, precious, etc., cut them off.
You need people who are to you a resource (good ideas, advice, money, inspiration, etc). Don’t entertain people who can’t add positively to your life but just feed you with negativity. And worse, make you feel dirty or worthless after speaking with them.
#The Gift Of Frankincense: according to Bible historians, Frankincense is symbolic of Jesus’ priesthood. Beloved, if your friends do not help you get close to God, cut them off.
In Luke 1, the Bible says Mary went to visit Elizabeth and just her greeting caused the baby to leap in Elizabeth’s womb and she was filled with the Holy Spirit.
If your close circle of friends do not stir up a desire to long for God; if they do not cause a leaping of the Holy Spirit in you, I suggest you cut them off.
It is said that you’re a combination of the four closest people to you. There are some friends when you speak to, you feel some heavenly presence. Your desire for the things of God increases, your faith soars, you seem to feel more spiritual and connected to God! Keep such people…
#The Gift Of Myrrh: Bible historians again say myrrh was symbolic of Jesus’ death; that one day Jesus would be put down and the myrrh would preserve His body.
Therefore beloved, you need people who can preserve you when you are down.Friends don’t laugh and ridicule you when you are down, they come to your aid and support you to get back up.
Think through this: Do your friends fall into these three categories/gifts we’ve talked about? (Gold, frankincense or myrrh?) Do you have to cut some people off?
On the flip side: Do you fall into any of these categories? Do you have to be cut off? What Gift are you to your friends?
(This devotional was adapted from a message by Ps Papa Sconti)
#AWGDevotional
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