“If the meaning could be put into a sentence, there would be no need of telling the story.” H.V. Dyke
As I watched the scene unfold, no gift under the tree could have brought greater pleasure. The lights were dim, and the tree sparkled; soft music played in the background. With little ones clad in Christmas pajamas and snuggling in our laps, the seven of us sat in a semicircle, waiting with anticipation. The ambience offered all that one could want on Christmas Eve, and I tried to absorb every blissful second.
At this moment, our son took out a book to read at home with his family, just as we had so many Christmases past: The Other Wise Man.
Our Annual Tradition
A tradition is an intangible we carry with us wherever we go, giving shape and meaning to seasons and situations. And, a tradition helps make a house a home. As I moved my family from nation to nation and across unique cultures, traditions provided this pilgrim a much-needed thread of continuity.
While some traditions naturally run their course and fade, there are those traditions that become classics. Like antiques, they grow more precious with time and are treasured and passed down from generation to generation. For our family, The Other Wise Man is such a classic.
Our Annual Guest
As David opened the cover, I thought back over the life of Artaban the Fourth Magi, who also saw the star and declared, “The King is coming, and I will go to meet Him.”
In this fictional account, Artaban’s three gems form the thread of the narrative: a sapphire, a ruby, and a pearl. With urgency, he sets out to follow the guidance of heaven’s light. However, repeatedly, he is deterred and thus denied (so it seems) the completion of his journey.
Beyond being a beautiful literary work, this story offers inspiration. In Artaban’s humanness, we see holiness.
Understandably, you may ask, “What does it mean?” And the author himself answered that question: “If the meaning could be put into a sentence, there would be no need of telling the story.”
Now with Christmas near, may our Lord Jesus Himself thoroughly bless you and yours as you make memories, honor traditions, and celebrate the wonder of His birth.
Living With Eternal Intentionality®
“For me to live is Christ.” (Philippians 1:21)
Perhaps 2025 is the perfect time to treat yourself and those you love to a new tradition and read The Other Wise Man. If your audience is young, the shortened and edited version retold by Pamela Kennedy is outstanding.
