Being a little obsessive, it bothers me when Christmas cards, decorations, and plays depict the Wise Men showing up at the manger in Bethlehem the night Mary gave birth. The Bible tells us that the Magi were from “the east” (scholars disagree about whether this means Babylon or Persia or Yemen or elsewhere), so unless they were teleported, actually they showed up weeks, months, or years after Emmanuel arrived.

Sometimes it seems like we know the story of Jesus’ birth so well that we don’t think about it in depth anymore. It becomes one of those, “this happened, and then…and then…and then.”

 It’s good to ponder about points we don’t understand. So when I was considering what I thought about the Wise Men’s point of origination, I came across two interesting aspects.

 One pastor, Steve Simons, has a theory that the Wise Men came from Turkey. What? Yes, Turkey, but hold on. If the Magi CAME from the East, how could they follow a star leading them East? Turkey is north and west of Bethlehem.

 Also, as I learned at Bible study recently, the Gospel was written in Greek. Some scholars think it likely that the New Testament writers lived in Greece. A portion of Turkey (formerly named Anatolia) was to the east of Greece. And the Greeks called Anatolia East or Rising of the Sun. So it could very well be that when the writer of the book of Matthew referenced Wise Men from the East, he was referring to Anatolia, which is nearly a thousand miles from Bethlehem so they still wouldn’t have arrived on the very night.

 The second point I wonder about is why the Magi stopped in Jerusalem to inquire about where the new king was. Why didn’t they just keep following the star? Why did they need the priests and scholars to tell them that scripture pointed the way to Bethlehem?

 Then while actually plotting to kill Jesus, King Herod told the Magi to come back and tell him after they’d found the baby so he could worship him also. But Jerusalem is SIX miles from Bethlehem! Why didn’t Herod send out soldiers to go find the child that night? Why would he have trusted and waited for these strangers to come back with the news?

 Who knows? I’m sorry if you thought I was going to come up with the answers. My point is this: We take a lot on faith that we don’t truly understand. And not just with the Christmas story, but with everyday life.

 Tragedies affect every single one of us at some point. Illness and death turn up in our lives. People cheat, lie, steal, and murder. We abuse animals and children and each other. Natural disasters upset earth’s normal balance. We don’t understand. Life can seem so unfair.

 In those most devastating moments, our faith may be the only rock on which we cling. We believe and we hold on.

 And so I promise to get over my silly focus on the Wise Men showing up later rather than sooner. They DID show up, and that’s what is important. Just like us, it’s vital that we keep showing up for one another, being there, late or not.