One of my favorite Bible stories is the story of the Epiphany. It is not as dramatic as some stories are. No seas are being parted or giants being defeated. Instead, it is a story about a journey, about observation, and about people who were paying attention. The story tells of wise men who saw something different in the sky. These men were not Christians. They were not even part of the Jewish faith. They were scholars, wanderers, and observers of the stars. Often called magi, they were likely astronomers or philosophers from the East.
What makes this story powerful to me is that it is inherently interfaith. The first people to recognize the significance of Christ’s birth were not insiders. They were outsiders. They were people searching for truth wherever it could be found. That says something important about how God works, not only within one group, but through the curiosity and sincerity of anyone willing to look. The journey itself must have been long and uncertain. They followed a star across deserts and foreign lands, not fully knowing what they would find. When they finally arrived and found the child, there must have been relief. Relief that the sign they had trusted was real. Relief that their search had meaning. They brought gifts fit for a king, even though they stood in a humble place. Their faith began with observation.
What I love most about this story is that it would not have happened if they had not been looking up. For thousands of years before this moment, people studied the sky. Greek philosophers and astronomers asked questions about the heavens. Thales predicted an eclipse nearly six hundred years before Jesus was born. How was that possible? By looking up. By paying attention. By noticing patterns and asking questions. The magi could only recognize that something was different because they were already familiar with what was normal. They knew the sky well enough to notice a change. If they had not been observant of their world, the star would have meant nothing.
Today, it feels like we are constantly looking down. We look at the ground as we walk. We look at our phones. We look at each other. But we rarely look up. The story of the Epiphany reminds me that wonder begins with awareness. Faith can begin with curiosity. Discovery starts with attention. “Looking up” is simple, but it is not easy. It means slowing down. It means noticing the world God created. It means asking questions. So when I think about the Epiphany, I do not just think about wise men and a star. I think about the challenge it gives us. No matter who we are, we can always look up once in a while and wonder, what is up there?
John is from Dell Rapids, SD and is majoring in history and government and international affairs.
