Awe-Full Decisions
When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. – Matthew 2:10 (NRSVUE)
Dr. Dacher Keltner, professor of psychology, conducted a 2014 study where participants were put in rooms with either awe-inspiring plants or less-inspiring ones. At the end of the agreed time, on their way out of the room, participants were asked if they were willing to volunteer more of their time to fold origami peace cranes for tsunami victims in Japan. The ones who had been surrounded by awe volunteered more time than the ones in less-inspiring surroundings. Dr. Keltner’s conclusion? “Awe inspires sacrifice … awe awakens the better angels of our nature.”
If awe stirs us to act in a manner that helps others, then the star that led the magi from King Herod to the baby Jesus may have been more than a practical, celestial compass. As the “star of wonder,” it became the moral compass that empowered them to go home a different way, avoiding King Herod’s fear-mongering threats and saving the life of the Prince of Peace.
Every day I am faced with micro and macro decisions that ask me to choose a different way, a way that prioritizes needs beyond my own. Will I toss my trash on the ground, or will I walk 100 feet to a trash can? Will I tithe my salary to justice work, or will I put that 10% toward a more luxurious vacation? Will I choose self-protection, or will I choose to protect the powerless?
When we find ourselves at a critical juncture, may we heed the wisdom of the magi and follow the stars, looking up and out to all that invokes awe.
Prayer
Star of royal beauty bright: inspire me to do the next right thing.
About the AuthorEllis Miller serves as the Designated Pastor of Granby Congregational Church, UCC and is the author of Only Work Sundays: A Laidback Guide to Doing Less while Helping Your Church Thrive.