Tuwing Pasko ay naaalala rin natin ang mga hari, or more accurately, those wise men who brought gifts to Jesus. What can we learn from their gesture of giving gifts to baby Jesus?

Ang lahat ng mga hari, gagalang sa harap niya, mga bansa’y magpupuri’t maglilingkod sa tuwina.

Awit 72:11

It is customary for heads of nations to give gifts — the best they can offer — to other leaders as a symbol of diplomacy. For instance, Nigeria gave Queen Elizabeth a pair of beaded chairs; Zambia, a silver bowl with fruit; and Dubai, diamond and sapphire jewelry. This gift-giving tradition dates as far back as the ancient times. 

David, in writing the song in Psalm 72, dedicates it to his son Solomon. In verse 10–11 (NIV), he says, “May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores bring tribute to him. May the kings of Sheba and Seba present him gifts. May all kings bow down to him and all nations serve him.” But these words actually extended beyond King Solomon’s kingdom. It was also a prophecy about the coming king, Jesus. 

Flash forward to the New Testament. Nagkatotoo ang prophecy when wise men from the east visited Jesus. In Matthew 2:11, we read, “On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” Their gifts were diplomatic representations of their cultures. They honored the King in a way that reflected their nationality.  

Jesus does not need any of our gifts in the same way that a barefooted person needs the gift of shoes. He is self-sufficient. Besides, He owns everything! When we give Him our gift we are saying, “Lord, please take what I have to offer. I am giving You, the Giver of every good and perfect gift, the best of who I am.”

Wherever you are, we hope you’re enjoying your celebration of Christmas Eve. Remember, Christmas is about  honoring our Lord Jesus who came to earth to save us. Join us tomorrow for the last part of our series.