On Your Side

1/2/25

 “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”” —Matthew 2:1-2 

This story tells us of people who having seen a sign in the heavens, made the long and difficult trip to find this Child. Their religion told them something significant had happened. God is merciful and full of grace, and even though their belief system was faulty, used their superstitions and beliefs to lead them to Christ. There was just enough truth in their beliefs to make them begin searching.

In Romans 1:19-20 and 2:15, Paul hints at the same thing:

“What may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead…[They] show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them.”

Here’s some really good news for those times when you long for your friends to know Jesus: Their conscience is on your side. Even when people oppose, ridicule, or ignore you, God has written the truth on their hearts. If God can use the stars he has created to bring these astrologists to Jesus, he can and will use the bits and pieces of anyone’s belief system to win people to Christ.