Now that we have another Christmas behind us, many people find that they have something in common with the wise men who came to visit Jesus—they have a whole lot less money!

The magi came a long way to bring baby Jesus gifts of gold, incense and myrrh. These items were quite costly, and would have left the givers with quite a bit less wealth then they had before their encounter with Jesus.

Maybe you are feeling a bit less wealthy now too. A lot of people are dreading the bills that will arrive in the mail in the next few weeks. Christmas can be just as expensive now as it was when Jesus was first born!

However, our financial standing might have changed for a different reason than the wise men had. Most of us spent our money on family and friends. The wise men gave extravagantly to honor Jesus and help a poor carpenter and his family.

Hmmmm….