The Straight Way
Before motorways a journey took ages, with many twists and turns, corners and hills. Now much has been made straight.
John’s message was that we would live along a path where words and actions match, and where kindness matches convictions.
John the Baptist was a man on a mission – to be the messenger of the one he did not know. His life had a vision and a purpose, like when we are really committed to people or to causes or to the poor or to peace in the world.
John was the man of desert food and desert dress; he took time out to find what the biggest thing in life was and then kept following it, often not knowing where it would take him.
The human heart is complicated and we know that. We all need that one who will touch our hearts with love and forgiveness and guide us himself in ways that are straight, and whose hand will guide us along straight paths when we need it.
God’s guiding is gentle. John found that Jesus was a gentler guide:
no name-calling,
no bringing of the axe to the tree,
but calling each of us his friend, and
nourishing the tree rather than cutting it down.
Our hearts can be melted at Christmas time by the love of God and love of others, if we can just thaw out. Think of, or remember a past Christmas time when you made a decision to allow Jesus do this for you again – maybe it is time to try again this year!
Lord Jesus, this year, arm our hearts to be like yours.