Radically Happy

Mashup Mary of Bethany and the Magi into a tale of abject humility and devotion.

ChatGPT Prompt

In the humble village of Bethany, three travelers arrived, their robes worn from the journey, yet their spirits unwavering. They had followed a sign—a faint, burning certainty—that led them here.

At the center of the village was a modest home, its doors open, the soft light within spilling into the evening air. Inside sat the one they sought—a man whose presence was magnetic yet unassuming, the kind that demanded reverence without uttering a word.

The first traveler stepped forward, reaching into a satchel and removing a small earthen jar, filled not with rare oils but with water drawn from the wells along their journey. Kneeling before the man, she poured the cool water over his feet, her hands trembling as she worked to cleanse the dust away. “This is all I have,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “But it is yours.”

The second traveler approached, holding nothing at all. His hands were empty, save for the trembling uncertainty that comes when you feel unworthy to give. But he knelt beside her, taking the man’s feet in his hands and drying them with the edges of his own cloak. “I have no gift to offer,” he murmured, “only the work of my hands.”

The third lingered, watching as the others worked. She held something small and precious, wrapped in a scrap of cloth—oil saved from a time when she still had the means to dream of a better life. Slowly, she knelt and broke open the vial, letting the rich scent fill the room. She poured the oil over his feet, her tears falling as she did. “It is not enough,” she said through her sobs. “It will never be enough.”

The man spoke softly, his words carrying weight as if they pressed into the air. “You have given more than enough. The water cleanses, the hands serve, the oil honors. But your hearts—your hearts are the greatest gift of all.”

The others in the room looked on in silence, some confused, some moved, but none untouched by what they witnessed. The three travelers, their task complete, stood to leave. The man looked at them as they turned toward the door, and his eyes carried a kind of knowing that left them undone.

“Wherever the road takes you,” he said, “this story will follow. Not because of what you brought, but because of how you gave it.”

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Related Stories

1. The Magi in Bethlehem

• The original Magi bring gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to honor the Christ child. Their journey and devotion mirror the spirit of seeking and offering found in this tale. Matthew 2:1-12

2. The Woman Washing Jesus’ Feet in Luke

• In the house of Simon the Pharisee, a sinful woman weeps at Jesus’ feet, washing them with her tears and anointing them with oil. Her act of humility and love echoes the travelers’ devotion. Luke 7:36-50

3. Mary of Bethany Anointing Jesus

• In Bethany, Mary anoints Jesus’ feet with costly perfume, wiping them with her hair in a deeply personal and prophetic act of devotion. John 12:1-8

4. The Fourth Wise Man

• The story of Artaban, the “Fourth Magi,” who spends his life in acts of service and sacrifice, seeking the King but finding Him in the people he serves. The Fourth Wise Man – Story
• Watch the adaptation: The Fourth Wise Man – YouTube

These stories, woven together, form a tapestry of devotion, humility, and the transformative power of giving all that one has.