Contemplating Luke 16:8

I was reading Luke chapter 16 and came across verse 8 - 

8 And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.

I am curious why "the children of this world are ... wiser than the children of light".  Normally, the "children of light" would be considered something greater.  

What are you thoughts?

Lessons from the Nativity Story: The Boyhood of Jesus Christ

King Benjamin taught that God created all things, both in heaven and in earth, and that he has all wisdom and all power (Mosiah 4:9). John the Beloved, from a revelation in the D&C, taught that when Christ dwelt in the flesh He received not of the fulness at first, but received grace for grace (D&C 93:11-14).

The childhood and boyhood of Jesus must have been a great thing to behold, but the Gospel writers chose to write only one verse about His life from age 12 to 30: "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man" (Luke 2:52)

Lessons from the Nativity Story: Pondering

I've always wondered what it would have been like to be so intimately involved with the Savior as He was a boy. Did Mary recognize Him for what He was? Did she identify how His actions fulfilled prophecy?

One great insight we get from Mary in the nativity story was her tendency to contemplate. Three separate times Luke states that she "kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart," or "marvelled at those things which were spoken" (Luke 2:18, 33, 51). What a great duty to raise the Son of God!

Lessons from the Nativity Story: Obedience

The Gospel writers were very clear that Joseph and Mary were very obedient to the law. Other than being obedient to the instructions given by the angel many times, the Gospels mentioned that they kept the law of Moses in their espousal and pregnancy, in traveling to Bethlehem, in the circumcision at 8 days, in the offering after Mary's days of purification, and in traveling to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover.

Mary and Joseph must have been a great parents to the Lord who was perfect in His obedience to the Father in all things. Luke 22:42 - "Not my will, but thine, be done."

 

Lessons from the Nativity Story: Joseph

Last Sunday (at the First Presidency Christmas Devotional) Elder Maynes spoke about the attributes of Joseph. He taught of Joseph's strict obedience, humility, spiritual maturity and complete integrity (see Matthew 1:18-25 and 2:13-23).

"Just think how much Heavenly Father trusted Joseph. He trusted Joseph to raise His Beloved Son with loving care. He trusted Joseph to protect both Jesus and Mary. Joseph earned that trust because of his humility, his patience, his obedience, and his willingness to comply with the Lord’s will. He exhibited all of these attributes because he was first a man of complete integrity."

Lessons from the Nativity Story: Anna

Anna, a woman of "great age," came into the temple just as Simeon was blessing the Christ child. After giving thanks to the Lord, just as Simeon had done for being able to lay eyes on the Promised Messiah, she spoke of Jesus to anyone who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

The verse prior says that Anna "departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day." Because of her doubtless trials of being a widow for decades and countless years of service, Anna wanted to spread the message of redemption that she herself had found in Christ.

Lessons from the Nativity Story: Simeon

When it was time for Mary and Joseph to present the Christ child to the Lord in Jerusalem, there was a man waiting for them at the temple. The Holy Ghost had revealed to Simeon that he would not see death before he had seen the Messiah. As he took the baby in his arms, he praised God, recited prophecies of the Messiah, and then blessed the new family.

The scriptures note (Luke 2:22-35) that this "just and devout" man was "waiting for the consolation of Israel." I wonder how long Simeon had been waiting to finally see the Messiah, and how in-tune he must have been to be led by the Spirit into the temple the very day Mary and Joseph brought Jesus. It truly must have been a day of peace and salvation! Psalms 27:14 - "Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD."

Lessons from the Nativity Story: The Gifts

When the Wisemen brought presents of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the young Christ child, they were doing more than just bringing very rare, valuable gifts.

Myrrh was used for embalming the dead and in holy ointment. Frankincense was an ingredient used to make holy incense for sacrifices at the temple. And Gold has long been a symbol for kings and rulers. When the magi brought these precious gifts, they were testifying that the child was their Prophet, Priest, and King. They were testifying that He is the Savior of Mankind.

Lessons from the Nativity Story: The Star

Not only did the star symbolize the coming of Christ into the world, but it also brought hope to the Nephites and Jews and led the wisemen to find the child.

John 8:12 - "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." Let us follow the light this Christmas.

Lessons from the Nativity Story: The Angel Gabriel

The Angel Gabriel appeared to give messages to three people or groups in the Nativity Story, and each time the people were afraid. In all three situations he replied by saying, "Fear Not." (Luke 1:13, 1:30, 2:10).

We can be confident that not only does God know us by name, but He is also filled with messages of good tidings of great joy. 2 Timothy 1:7 - "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." I know that when the Lord communicates with us, even when He asks hard things, he brings love, peace, and power.

Lessons from the Nativity Story: Mary, the Mother of Jesus

Long before Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel, she was chosen to be the Mother of Jesus Christ. Centuries before Christ was born Isaiah, Nephi, King Benjamin, and Alma all prophesied that the Savior would be born of a virgin, and some of them even called her by name (see Isaiah 7:14, 1 Nephi 11:13-20, Mosiah 3:8, Alma 7:10).

Other than calling her "most beautiful and fair above all other virgins," the ancient prophets also taught that she was a "precious and chosen vessel." Elder Bruce R. McConkie added his testimony of her chosen calling: "As the Father chose the most noble and righteous of all his spirit sons to come into mortality as his Only Begotten in the flesh, so we may confidently conclude that he selected the most worthy and spiritually talented of all his spirit daughters to be the mortal mother of his Eternal Son” (DNTC, Vol. 1, 85).

Lessons from the Nativity Story: The Manger

Jesus "being in the form of God [and] equal with God made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men." (Philippians 2:6-7)

Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Creator of heaven and earth, left the mansions of heaven to be wrapped in swaddling clothes and placed in a manger. Instead of coming to earth in glory and riches, Jesus chose to serve mankind.

Lessons from the Nativity Story: Mary and Prophecies of the Messiah

I love the response Mary gives to Elisabeth after she hears of the news from the angel and then travels to see her cousin (found in Luke 1:46-55): she testifies of the Savior, who was at the time inside of her, by referencing several old testament prophets. The LDS footnotes on those verses cite 1 Samuel, Psalms (4 times), Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Micah.

I love thinking about how the teenage Mary hungrily went to the scriptures to learn and study all she could about the Promised Messiah in her womb. She must have had great insight to the prophecies of the Christ child. Let's follow her example this Christmas by searching the scriptures to learn more about the Savior who has already come, and who will come again!