In ‘The Pursuit of Happyness’, an American biographical drama film based on the entrepreneur Chris Gardner, the protagonist played by Will Smith makes a living by selling bone-density scanners. Doctors wouldn’t buy them as they were only a little better than the X-ray machines, yet very costly. Consequently, Chris loses his apartment and his wife leaves him, forcing him on to the street with his 5-year-old son Christopher. The story is all about Chris’ pursuit of happiness. The movie resonates with a lot of us because life itself is a pursuit. Some pursue education while some pursue wealth. Some pursue a vocation or a hobby while others pursue a career. We all pursue ‘knowledge’ in different forms. The dictionary defines ‘Pursuit’ as an action word: an action of pursuing ‘someone’ or ‘something’; an act of chasing or an act of striving to accomplish something.
The Bible narrates the story of a few wise men who were pursuers. When the Magi, perhaps in this case Zoroastrian dualists – mostly polytheists – sighted that bright and mysterious Star in the sky, their life-time pursuit for complex knowledge in the area of Astrology seemed to be culminating in a new pursuit – a pursuit for the Truth. Interestingly, God gives each of us signs that we understand in order to lead us to the Truth. In this instance, for the Magi of the East – it was a Star. God spoke their language.
BEGINNING OF A PURSUIT
Astrology was considered as the science of the day by the ancient world. It was believed, particularly in the East, that the placement and displacement of stars would affect the future of Man. The strange thing is that, just about the time Jesus was born, there was in the world a strange expectation of the arrival of a great king. Even historians mentioned this in their writings. The Roman historian Suetonius wrote, “There had spread over all the Orient an old and established belief, that it was fated at that time for men coming from Judaea to rule the world.” Tacitus mentions of the same belief that “there was a firm persuasion … that at this very time the East was to grow powerful, and rulers coming from Judaea were to acquire universal empire.”
CONTINUING THE PURSUIT
A researcher’s integrity is put to test when his findings go against his hypothesis. Would he or she camouflage facts to prove his or her point or would he or she be willing to be led wherever the truth will lead? As the star specified a king born in Judea, the wise men naturally expected to find him in Jerusalem’s palace. However, their search brought them to a wrong conclusion. King Herod himself consults his wise men and finds out that the prophets of old had predicted specifics of the very place of birth of Jesus. And the Magi continue their journey in the pursuit of Truth. They weren’t disappointed with the embarrassment because of the apparent failure of their ‘knowledge’; but they were bold and honest enough to extend the journey of their pursuit despite the blow to their egos and ethos. They followed the evidence until the end, until it brought them face-to-face with the Truth. In your pursuit of the Truth, would you have the integrity to stay on course till the end?
CULMINATION OF THE PURSUIT
On arriving at the house, the Magi saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Prostration was, in fact, a way that Persians venerated rulers as well as deities. When they recognised this was no ordinary child, they did not mind falling on their knees in worship.
The culmination of an honest pursuit of Truth is always worship. The eternal Pursuer of Man will surely let your feet stumble upon some threads that will eventually lead you to the ultimate pursuit of Truth. And until you figure out that Truth, keep deriving your conclusions honestly and boldly. Praying that as you begin your pursuit and continue it, you would not falter at the crucial stage of the culmination of that pursuit.
