Born to an unassuming couple, laid in a manger, and wrapped in swaddling clothes, Jesus Christ began his earthly experience in near obscurity. The very first first beings to behold his birth would have been lowly cattle, sheep, or goats. Soon thereafter, simple shepherds would visit Bethlehem and pay reverent homage to the newborn king. Born in the absence of royalty, riches, and worldly comforts, never had such a noble child been born in such ignoble circumstances.
A short distance away from The City of David, the wise men, nobles from the orient, entered an estate far larger and grandiose. They were in search of any information that might lead them to the newborn Savior. They hoped to find answers in the royal court of King Herod, known to history as Herod the Great. But at the the time of their arrival, the visiting magi might not have recognized anything great or kingly about Herod.
Herod was known by his subjects as a tyrant; more concerned about his reputation and standing with the Roman occupiers than the actual interests of the Jewish people. He taxed his people heavily. He executed dissidents, political rivals, and even family members. He made pedestrian, if not token, efforts to follow Jewish traditions, while still living lavishly. When it came to ruling the Herodian Kingdom, paranoia, excess, and delusion reigned, not Herod the Great.
Though unmentioned in biblical accounts, the wise men from the east would have been in the presence of an ailing and decrepit King Herod. By the year 4 BC, Herod's medical and mental health would have been in rapid decline. News of his condition could not be hidden, and ultimately reached ears beyond members of the royal court and Jewish elite class. The prospect of Herod's imminent demise attracted the attention of many factions. Ambitious parties formed armies, stirred up protest, and even raided weapon caches. War, conflict, and the pending power vacuum were on the mind of every Judean citizen. These were the sights, sounds, and stories that the wise men would have experienced from the moment they passed the eastern borders of the Herodian Kingdom.
For the wandering magi, war, disease, poverty, and injustice were the norm, not the exception. Having likely traversed much of the known world during their travels, these were the conditions that the traveling magi would have seen even in the lands beyond the borders of Israel. These are not particularly encouraging things to behold when one is on a sacred pilgrimage to visit the foretold Prince of Peace. I often wonder if perhaps the irony was not lost on them. They were wise men after all.
Though they might have been discouraged, perhaps they had hope that the birth of Christ would bring an end to the miserable earthly conditions they had seen. They might have thought that this child would bring about the end of tyranny. They might have thought his birth would mark the beginning of the end of contention or war. They were clearly acquainted with scripture and prophesy which had promised such things:
"But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed." Isaiah 53:5
But the the birth of Christ did not bring about the end of conflict. The King of Kings entered a world ruled by lesser men. The Wonderful Counselor taught only a handful of followers. And when the Prince of Peace departed from this world, war and pestilence remained a constant presence. This was hardly an atmosphere of peace and harmony.
Does this mean that Christ failed to bring peace?
Did he fail outright and from the start?
Jesus answered this question himself during his earthly ministry:
"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27)
Our understanding of peace doesn't necessarily fall in line with the actual peace that Christ offers. When we think peace, we think of a world without war. We think of peace as something accomplished through a single miracle that simultaneously blankets the entire globe with good vibes and creates an immediate cessation of hostility. Christ made it absolutely clear: this is not the peace that he offers.
Elder Quentin L. Cook provides more clarity on this topic:
Peace in the world is not promised or assured until the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The Savior instructed His Apostles that His earthly mission would not achieve universal peace. He taught, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth.” Universal peace was not part of the Savior’s initial mortal ministry. Universal peace does not exist today.
However, personal peace can be achieved despite the anger, contention, and division that blight and corrupt our world today…
This is the peace promised by Christ. This peace is personal. It’s private. This peace starts within your own heart, then expands into your own home, and then into your own community. Peace starts with you, and you will not see peace publicly until you have achieved peace privately.
That being said, the consequences of public discontent often do affect our private peace. Many actively wage war and sow the seeds of conflict. Much like the days of the wise men and King Herod, there are many who still prefer madness over miracles, or enmity over harmony. But for every Herod, there are groups of wise men (and women) actively making and maintaining peace. These wise men know, much like the wise men of the orient knew, that personal peace is attained by practicing of stillness, developing strength, and acting deliberately.
PRACTICING STILLNESS
Renowned French mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal once observed that "all of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone."
During the early 1600's, an intellectual of Pascal's caliber would have had no way of predicting a world of Instagram, Tik-Tok, and texting. But his pointed observation of our inability to appreciate stillness remains relevant, perhaps even more so today.
For many of us, nothing elicits more discomfort than silence and stillness. We find it so uncomfortable, in fact, that we go to extreme lengths to avoid it or get rid of it altogether. Some of us spend hours scrolling through 10 second soundbites and stories. Some of us can't go from point a to point b without playing a fresh new playlist. Some of us even prefer to bury our heads in distractions carefully disguised as work or hobbies.
What makes stillness so uncomfortable? Why do we work diligently to stifle moments of silence? I have come to believe that silence itself does not scare us. Rather, we dislike the clarity of mind and perspective that come from stillness.
In his book titled "Stillness is the Key", author Ryan Holiday explained that "stillness is what aims the archer's arrow. It inspires new ideas. It sharpens perspective and illuminates connections." In essence, stillness produces clarity of thought. Stillness allows that still, small voice to call us to greater things; to leave behind our weaknesses and to make the hard (but necessary) decisions we must make.
When we choose distraction over stillness, we choose comfort over growth. But when we choose stillness, we choose to recognize those areas of our lives that require attention. By silencing that still small voice which beckons us towards greater things, we prevent ourselves from feeling the peace of mind that comes from reaching our unmet potential.
For Herod the Great, stillness would have gone a long way to producing peace and prosperity for him and his subjects. Instead, excess and paranoia robbed Herod the Great of a sense of peace, which in turn wreaked havoc in his household and betrayed the interests of those over whom he had stewardship.
In contrast, stillness paved the way for the wise men to experience personal peace and satisfaction. Stillness allowed the wise men to recognize the signs of Christ's birth. Stillness allowed them to hear God's warnings against the wicked King Herod. Stillness allows wise men to overcome the surrounding chaos and to find peace and satisfaction.
PRACTICING STRENGTH
The pilgrimage of the magi would have taken them through some of the most treacherous and dangerous areas of the known biblical world. Travelling through the Parthian and Roman empires would have certainly exposed them to desperate bandits eager to steal the kingly gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. How did they manage to navigate these dangerous territories unscathed?
We cannot know for certain how, but we can make some educated guesses. We can assume by their kingly gifts that these were men of nobility and status in their homelands. They likely had at their disposal a company of guards and attendants. We know that they travelled together, a wise decision made by wise men. All these things considered, their caravan would have been a formidable force to successfully overtake. I think it is safe to assume that the magi would have understood the value of strength, and they would have practiced it effectively.
There exists a popular opinion that one of the highest and virtuous pursuits a man can achieve is to become docile; harmless, inoffensive; even vulnerable. This opinion holds that strength, in particular masculine strength, is incompatible with higher virtues such as gentleness and kindness. But wise men know that these are not mutually exclusive. Strong men and women are kind. They are gentle. They are giving. But they are also self-respecting, confident, and they know when enough is enough.
"A harmless man is not a good man." explained Dr. Jordan Peterson, "A good man is a dangerous man who has that under control."
We experience peace when we develop strength mentally, spiritually, and even physically.
Consider the wounded animal, who reacts wildly, ferociously, and frantically when cornered by predators. Peace eludes the creature who is left defenseless and hopeless. Likewise, if we do not keep ourselves fit for the fight, then we not only leave ourselves exposed to the dangers of life, but we leave our families and loved ones wholly unprepared for the inevitable conflicts that will present themselves.
Wise men know that not every battle must be fought. Elder Quentin L. Cook explained that "we should be willing to compromise and eliminate strife with respect to matters that do not involve righteousness… But on conduct relating to righteousness and doctrinal imperatives, we need to remain firm and steadfast."
I urge a lot of caution here because I am not advocating that all conflict be settled with fist-to-cuff encounters. In fact, most of the conflict we will endure in life will require a very different kind of strength. Sometimes we need strength to say unpopular things. Sometimes we need strength to tell the truth. Sometimes we simply need strength to endure. And while I pray that we never be required to show forth strength in response to violence, I cannot promise that we will never be required to do so. When we are called upon to show strength, we best be prepared to show it.
Weak men and women believe that inaction or harmlessness will defuse conflict. However, weakness invites conflict. It signals to others that you are easy prey. Strength, on the other hand, deters violence and discourages abuse; though it may not entirely eradicate the possibility of injustice being carried out. But even in those circumstances, your strength communicates that you will not give up. True strength warns against carrying out any injustice or harm against you or love ones, as it will certainly come at a great cost to any villain heinous enough to try.
PRACTICING DELIBERATE ACTION
"But learn that he who doeth the works of righteousness shall receive his reward, even peace in this world, and eternal live in the world to come." (D&C 59:23)
I love this scripture because of the unique promise contained within: peace in this world.
God doesn't promise peace only for the hereafter. God is not so cynical and contemptuous to leave us in a perpetual state of misery and dissatisfaction during our mortal experience. God intends that we experience the good, along with the bad. He designed mortality to help us gain perspective and experience. Through it all, He asks us to do one thing: Do the works of righteousness.
Action for the sake of action does not bring about the promise of personal peace. In fact, knee-jerk reactions and impulsive behaviors often create more chaos than peace. To take righteous action, one must take deliberative action.
Do not mistake deliberation for slowness or hesitancy. Someone who takes deliberative action does not dither or stumble in the face of controversy. Rather, deliberation often takes place long before the need for action. Deliberative action results from a pre-established hierarchy of righteous values and principles. When ideals such as honesty, humility, and courage become cemented in our character, they serve to guide and influence our actions at those times when action becomes necessary. Honest people decide to be honest long before they are faced with the difficult task of telling the truth. Courageous people decide to be courageous long before they are called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice.
Men and women of this character are aptly described through a poem titled "Fellowship of the Unashamed":
I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit power.
The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of His. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still.
My past is redeemed. My present makes sense. My future is secure. I’m finished with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals.
I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, applause, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, am uplifted by prayer and labor by power.
My pace is set. My gait is fast. My goal is heaven. My road is narrow. My way rough. My companions few. My guide is reliable and my mission is clear.
I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, pander at the pool of popularity or meander in the maze of mediocrity.
I won’t give up, shut up, let up, until I’ve stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ.
I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give ’til I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me. And when He comes for His own, He’ll have no problem recognizing me. My banner will be clear.
When given the warning not to return to King Herod, the wise men already knew what action they had to take. They had decided, long before the decision at hand was ever to be made, that they would do what is right; that they would follow the promptings of that still-small voice. They took deliberative action and followed the inspiration given to them, giving little thought (if any) to their own safety or comfort.
Did the actions of the wise men bring peace? Did it thwart the evil intent of King Herod?
It did not.
In his madness, King Herod became even more brutal and desperate. In a fit of rage and paranoia, he ordered the massacre of innocent children, fearing the usurpation of his throne and kingdom. Joseph, Mary, and Jesus were forced to flee to safety. For the subjects of the Judean Kingdom, life would become more miserable, not less.
In the aftermath of righteous action, wickedness will survive. In some unfortunate cases, it may even thrive. But remember that peace is not a product of our external environment. It is born within, and then it radiates outward. Peace does not rain upon us (though God may grant us a sense of peace in times where we need it most). Peace rarely descends upon us. Peace emanates from us; it resonates from us.
For those who decide to forsake wisdom, they choose instead to embrace the chaotic and destructive path favored by Herod. Herod could not practice stillness, for he was far too anxious over holding power. Herod could not exemplify strength, for he lacked control and discipline. Herod could not act deliberately, for he permitted fear and avarice to guide his decisions.
In Herod's mind, peace could only be achieved by exerting influence or power over the external world. So Herod the Great acted accordingly. He murdered. He lied. He manipulated. Descriptions of Herod's character identify him as one who would be "prepared to commit any crime in order to gratify his unbounded ambition." Yet, in spite of Herod's manipulations and maneuverings, peace eluded him. He died under excruciating circumstances, leaving behind a legacy of chaos and discord.
When comparing the two kingly characters of the Christmas story, one notices a glaring difference between the peace offered by King Herod, and the peace offered by the King of Kings; He whom we call Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father...
The Prince of Peace.
"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27)
In a world full of Herod's, choose to be a wise man (or woman). Favor stillness over disruption. Seek strength above instability. And when action is needed, do not flinch, hesitate, negotiate, pander, or meander. Be concerned over what is right, not over what will happen. To those that practice these, peace is promised.
