Love comes from righteousness; deceit comes from wickedness.

Scripture Passage

The thoughts of the righteous are just, but guidance from the wicked leads to deceit.
-Proverbs 12:5

Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men and asked them the exact time the star appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you find Him, report back to me so that I too can go and worship Him.”-Matthew 2:7‭-‬8

Message

The wise men were righteous in their search for Jesus. They showed their Love through wanting to bring Him gifts and worship Him. Herod was not! He planned evil toward the child and was bent on destruction.

You may find yourself in a similar situation and not know it. Think about where your thoughts and actions are this season. Are you focused on making the perfect Christmas for your family so that they can enjoy it? Are you focused on yourself so much that anybody else does not matter?

Like the wise men, if you turn your heart out for others, you show great Love, but if you are hard hearted and selfish like Herod, you practice deceit. Search yourself for that answer. Is there any way you could be more gracious this season? Search for Christ and let Him guide your heart.

Prayer

Dear Lord,

Help us to be more like the wise men. Help us to put our inner Herod away and seek Your Son instead. Help us to bring others into our lives for their sake and not our own. We ask this in the name of Jesus.

Amen.