There may be true servants of God in places where we should not expect to find them. The Lord Jesus has many ‘hidden ones’ like these wise men. Their history on earth may be as little known as that of Melchizedek, Jethro and Job. But their names are in the book of life, and they will be found with Christ in the day of His appearing. It is well to remember this. We must not look round the earth and say hastily, ‘all is barren.’

The grace of God is not tied to places and families. The Holy Spirit can lead souls to Christ without the help of many outward means. Men may be born in dark places of the earth, like these wise men, and yet like them be made ‘wise unto salvation.’ There are some traveling to heaven at this moment, of whom the church and the world know nothing. They flourish in secret places like the lily among thorns, and ‘waste their sweetness on the desert air.’ But Christ loves them, and they love Christ.

~ J.C. Ryle

Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew, [Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1986], 10.

From the series The Humble Example of the Wise Men

On this day...

• Giving money is only one way of showing charity; to give time & toil is far better & (for most of us) harder - 2011
• If my heart is right with God, every human being is my neighbor. - 2011
• Our problem is that we go from toy to toy rather than from glory to glory. - 2011
• As the stones in an arch help to strengthen one another, one Christian by imparting his experience, heats and quickens another - 2011
• Psalm 80:5 (NIV) - 2011
• John Newton - From Disgrace to Amazing Grace - 2011
• Never support an experience which does not have God as its Source and faith in God as its result. - 2011
• if you really believe that Christ’s pov- erty has made you rich, what are those furrows doing on your brow? - 2011
• We ought to see the face of God every morning before we see the face of man. - 2011
• He [the Holy Spirit] especially delights in the things of Christ, and focuses his sacred light upon the cross. - 2011