Today we commemorate the birth of John the Baptist. He is often portrayed in icons with wild hair, a rough looking cloak and wild eyes – a marked departure from the ordered and calm portrayals of nearly everyone else. He’s known as a prophet – one who speaks about the way things are supposed to be, and points out when that’s not the way they are now. He created a cognitive dissonance for the religious leaders of his time, where they believed in God, I believe genuinely wanted to do God’s will, but had gotten off course. John would use their own words and Scriptures to point out that while their vision may have been good, their practices were inconsistent.
And for this prophetic voice, John was martyred. He told Herod his behavior was unlawful and ungodly, for divorcing his wife, and marrying his brother’s wife. Herod’s sister-in-law-now-wife didn’t like that, and effectively tricked Herod into beheading John, despite Herod having some creeping sense that John was a man of God.
John features prominently in the season leading up to Christmas, as he announces the coming of the one greater than he. Deacons are often called to have the same prophetic voice, pointing out where what we say we believe and what we do are inconsistent. Or pointing out how what we’re doing is flat-out wrong.
Between his prophetic voice, and his wild-eyed icon, I’ve always had a warm spot in my heart for John. I have friends with much clearer prophetic voices – they’re quick to point out the tragedies of caged immigrant children, racial injustice, gun violence, and do so with clear convicting messages and pleas for right action. I am grateful for their clarity and voice and strength. And that has never been my strength.
I am better as the friend of the bridegroom, who awaits for the groom, is grateful for his voice, and will quietly and humbly tell everyone about the groom. As John says, the friend of the groom is happy to be in his presence, but the party is ultimately about the groom.
John’s prophetic message ultimately got him beheaded. I absolutely see the inconsistencies between what is and what should be. I know there are plenty of opportunities to be that voice crying out in the wilderness, and I wonder if there are places I should be crying out more. But for the most part, that’s not my constitution. I’m more like the friend of the bridegroom, who will help out in any way necessary to help the groom and the groom’s feast.
This morning, I’m thinking about how to be prophetic, how to talk about the vast difference between God’s dream and our nightmare, and how to do it in a way that plays to my strengths. How I can use the gifts I’ve been given from God to help the groom and his feast. How I can bring others to the groom’s feast. Maybe part of my gift to the groom is the funny administrative role I have supporting the deacons and other clergy in this corner of the world, in helping those with clearer prophetic voices cry out. I’m a good administrator, and love the people with whom I work. Maybe I can work to keep us all from getting beheaded.
* Beginning July 1, I'm planning on posting these writings on this blog (hawley-hill.blogspot.com), and not posting also in the separate facebook page. I will link to this blog from my own account. Some of you read one account, and others read another. I appreciate all readers, and want to get you all in one place. If you have strong thoughts about this, please let me know. And please share these readings if you think it's useful. Thank you.
No comments:
Post a Comment