Traveling far

For more commentary on this week's readings, see the Reflections on the Lectionary page, which includes Truax's current Living by the Word column as well as past magazine and blog content. For full-text access to all articles, subscribe to the Century.

At some point I picked up the idea that wiser Christians ask fewer questions. That somehow they pick up “the answers” somewhere along the way. More mature Christians could always find The Answer in the Bible, no matter how remote the question might be. And, speaking of questions, that’s one thing real Christians wouldn’t have. Or at least, I wouldn’t know it if they did.

It’s refreshing to remember that some of the first visitors to the manger are likely Arabs, people who may know little about Jewish prophecy but a lot about how to read the stars. People who are willing to freely admit what they don’t know. Both coming and going, they seek guidance, direction. They trust the knowledge they have but with humility, recognizing that there is much they don’t know.