The 3 Wise Women: A Christmas Reflection

Mary, Elizabeth, and Anna. Three very different women, at different ages and stages of life. One single, one married, one widowed. One just beginning to experience life. One coping with the challenges and changes of midlife. And one coming close to the end of her life.

But these women had one thing in common. They chose to submit to GodÕs will, even when it didnÕt seem to make sense. Take a closer look at their words and actions, and see how each woman had a unique purpose in GodÕs great plan to bring His Son to earth.

The Three Wise Men, though mentioned only briefly in the Gospel of Matthew, are well-known characters in the Christmas story. But we know very little about themÑnot even their names, or if in fact there were three of them.

But the Scriptures do teach us for certain about three wise womenÑMary, mother of Jesus; Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist; and Anna, a prophetess who proclaimed the good news of JesusÕ birth.

Each woman played an important role in the Christmas story. They didnÕt give Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, as the wise men did. But they did offer Him their most precious possessions: their hearts.