What, then, will WE be?

 

Here we are, just a few days away from our celebration of the birth of the Son of God, and the Scriptures tell us the account of the birth of John the Baptist, which is remarkable in its own right.

Rejoicing with her that she has given birth, Elizabeth’s neighbors and relatives are prepared to call the baby Zechariah, but she tells them the baby’s name is to be John.  Not understanding this, they turn to Zechariah the father.  Zechariah, who was struck mute by the angel Gabriel because he couldn’t bring himself to believe what the angel said about Elizabeth conceiving a child, has to write on a tablet that the baby’s name is John.  When Zechariah does that, he’s able to speak, and begins to praise God.  When the people there see all these things, they begin to wonder about the baby and ask, "What, then, will this child be?" and then Luke adds, “For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.” (Luke 1:57-66)

If we were to imagine names associated with all the children of the world, perhaps especially those who have been affected by the pandemic, those living in poverty, those living as refugees, as immigrants, those who are being exploited, and even those considered part of “them,” we might find ourselves wondering, “What will happen to them?”  Surely God loves them as God loves the children closest to us.

The “Black Lives Matter” movement is controversial for many people, but another phrase that’s common these days seems apropos here: “Remember their names.”  If we can remember the humanity of those considered the “other,” especially the children, and seek not only relief for those who are hurting, but justice for us all, maybe that’s a way in which we, like Zechariah when his tongue was freed, can give praise to God, and we’ll be ready when Jesus comes again.

We know what John the Baptist turned out to be: the herald of Jesus. He is seen as the fulfillment of all those prophecies that foretold of a messenger sent ahead of the Messiah to prepare His way.  But the same question that was asked about John could be asked about us.

As we near the end of this Advent season, what, then, will we be?  Are we willing to be heralds of the Good News?  Are we willing to prepare the way for others to welcome Jesus, not only in these last days before Christmas, but for the months and years ahead?  It may be hard to see ourselves in that role, but we shouldn’t let that strike us mute. Instead, like Elizabeth who was filled with the Holy Spirit when she greeted Mary, and like Zechariah whose tongue was loosed after the naming of his son, and like John the Baptist himself, we are to witness to the wonders God has done for us in Jesus Christ.