John the Baptist

John the Baptist was an outrageous man. He valued his mission more than his appearance. So many important messages from God seem to come to us in unremarkable or even despicable packages: a senile old man takes your hand and tells you to slow down and sit a spell; a store clerk reminds you of the store  discount and gives you a free coupon; a harried carpool mom waits with a child until his dad shows up 20 minutes late. Each of these quiet testaments proclaims that Christ is in our midst and we are asked to see him and even be him. John wants us to know that weare the voice crying in the desert—the desert of greed, waste, selfishness that surrounds us. It seems overwhelming to walk the way of John the Baptist, yet it is in the little ways that the kingdom is proclaimed. Preparing the way for someone to discover Jesus Christ takes only the awareness that each day God will send us an opportunity to witness our faith. You can do your preaching by being a doer of the Word this Advent. Even if we’re not fiery preachers like John, our passion and love in the ways we live and speak of the Christ can speak loudly to those we meet. Are you a voice crying out in your personal desert or a quiet spectator?