Epiphany – Have You Had One Lately?

Epiphany – Have You Had One Lately?

Epiphany has become one of my favorite holidays. No kidding. For me, it is not only a day of recognizing God as Jesus coming to us but also a day to remember where we’ve been and look forward to what we can become. It’s the perfect time to reflect as we have just ended one year and begun another, not just with the calendar on the wall but in the church.

The word Epiphany has a couple of meanings, one being a “sudden revelation or insight.” But the other is the recognition by the Magi of the manifestation of God—quite literally—God “infesting” man.

A Little Story

When I was a kid, my folks would usually give a single small gift, usually in gold paper, to me as in memoriam of the three Magi giving gold, frankincense, and myrrh to Jesus and his family. They would give it to me, and mom would usually sing, “We three kings of Orient are…” highlighting the gifts and remembering someone who had passed the year before, in this way tying the person’s story with the gift and keeping their memory alive. Again, instilling the idea of looking back to remember and moving forward into the world with memories leading us.

Later in life, I joined the church choir at the ripe old age of 14. Our choir director was a one-of-a-kind soul: Bob Smith. Bob has passed now, but his love and joy for Epiphany is legendary. For many years, Bob would invite his choirs over to his house for an Epiphany party. The Advent and Christmas season was wrapping up for the choir after singing for up to four services a day and many rehearsals over several months. Bob wanted to personally thank everyone for their loving contribution as choristers.

Bob would pull out all the stops—eight kinds of hors d’oeuvres, five different signature cocktails (some with and some without alcohol), a three-course meal, followed by gift giving. It was a scene from the Fezziwig’s out of Dicken’s, ‘A Christmas Carol.’ There was music, laughter, games, and, of course, food. Bob was not a rich man by any means, but he felt the need to give the gift of love, care, and humanity to those he directed throughout the year.

At the end of these epic evenings, as things were winding down, he would sit in a chair (that he had reupholstered, a glass of wine in hand, with a smile of contentment) and ask every person, “What is the one gift you gave to Christ this year?” He would then follow that question with, “What’s the one gift you’ll give next year?”

What Star Are You Following?

And that’s the point. We—you and me—are in our own right, Magi. We are following a star. Some toward Jesus, others toward Harod, and toward things that will not stand. Away from what we are called to be.

We are all following a star that is set far above and away from us. We are all carrying gifts to give. These gifts are special, singular, and only for us to give. They are probably not gold, frankincense, or myrrh, but something more practical, say a smile, a word of encouragement, or carrying groceries for your neighbor. The sad part is most don’t realize the worth of their gifts and give them away cheaply or worse yet, throw them away.

What’s Your Gift Worth?

You may be saying, “I have nothing. I have bills to pay, or I’m infirmed, or I’m too young… too old to give anything of worth.” Really? You don’t have anything? Do you have a smile, a story to tell, or advice that might be useful? Not all gifts are monetary.

The Magi brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh; this is true. But the real gift they gave was the realization that a king—the King of Kings—was born to the world. Scripture tells us that when they found him, “…they saw the Child with Mary, His mother, and they fell down and worshiped Him.” (Matthew 2:11) They saw the “man-infestation” of God in a small, poor child. The monetary gifts they brought were lost to history. We don’t know how they were used or if they were sold. But we do hold on to the “epiphany,” the sudden insight, the manifestation of the Magi. Stories matter, your gifts matter, and epiphanies matter. So, what’s your gift? And how will you give it in the year to come?

A simple suggestion is look at the children’s book, “The Farmer, the Miner, and the Artisan” by, yours truly. It’s a retelling of the Nativity story, showing the individuality of each person being worth more than the gold, frankincense, and myrrh given by the Magi. “The Farmer, the Miner, and the Artisan” can be found at any online place you order your books from. Or go to www.BenBongers-Author.com for a signed copy.