The story is told of the "Fourth Wiseman" named Artaban. He, too, set out to follow the star and he took with him a sapphire, a ruby, and a pearl beyond price as his gifts for the newborn King. He was riding hard to meet his three friends, Jasper, Melchor, and Balthasar at the agreed upon place. Time was running out when he came upon a traveler stricken with fever.
If he stayed to help he would miss his friends. He stayed, he helped, and nursed the man back to health. But now he was alone. He needed camels and bearers and a guide to help him across the desert. Because of his act he had missed the caravan of his friends. He had to sell the sapphire to get the needed supplies and camels and bearers, and he was saddened because the King would never have this special gem.
He finally reached Bethlehem only to find Joseph and Mary and the Baby gone. While at the home where they had been staying, soldiers from Herod's army came to kill all the boy babies in the house. The mother wept behind Artaban as he stood in the doorway. To save the child from certain death he paid the captain with the ruby so he would not so much as enter the room. One boy child was saved and the ruby was gone - now one less gift for the King.
For years he wandered, looking in the vain for the King until some 30 years later he found Him in Jerusalem during His crucifixion. He thought just maybe he could use the pearl to buy His freedom. On the way to the hill a girl came running from a band of soldiers who were chasing her. She cried out, "My father is in debt and they are taking me to sell me a slave to pay the debt. Please . . . help me, save me!"
Artaban hesitated . . . then, sadly, he took out his pearl, offered it to the soldiers, and bought the girl's freedom and cleared the debt.
The sky went dark and . . . the King died.
Now . . . think . . . did not the wiseman, Artaban, give his gifts to the King because he had cared for those who needed his gifts?
Christmas is soon upon us. Have you given any thought about your gift giving this year? Will it be exchange time . . . giving to people who are able to give back to you? Or will it be an honest act of real giving? How about giving to people who can't give back? I know of a family who pool their "gift" giving money every other year, and give it to a needy family as their Christmas gift. Just a thought.
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for Me'."
-Matthew 25:40
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