Embedded within every life are stories. Every moment, every act, can be captured by storytelling. That’s not to say every story we tell about our lives will capture every person’s attention, only that we can tell stories and make meaning of our lives through stories.
Where stories intersect, communities form and are reinforced. For example, those who worked in the kitchen this past weekend could weave a story about the experience. They could share moments, hints of conversations, ways in which they supported one another through the challenges of a busy weekend. Sharing those stories with individuals who didn’t spend that time in the kitchen could help create a sense of empathy and understanding for the commitment and gifts these individuals have shared. This would, no doubt, reinforce the gratitude our congregation has for all they do! Stories help make meaning and connect people.
And it is proclaimed through the prophet Malachi: See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me…
We recognise the story of John the Baptist in this proclamation. His was the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord. His role was to signal change, to invite people into self-reflection and repentance, and to create spaces that would help draw folks closer to God. No pressure, right?
Can we imagine what life would have been like for John? Based on the Gospel stories, it would seem the whole community was aware of his remarkable birth story – how his father became mute until John’s name was affirmed and then, when he could talk, responded with his own powerful proclamation:
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins. (Luke 1:76-77)
Can we imagine John growing up and hearing whispers about this story? How might these whispers have impacted his potential relationships as a child? Was he bullied by his peers – did they find some cruel way to make fun of this ‘child of the Most High’, because they were jealous of the prophecy? Were Zechariah and Elizabeth treated differently following this birth? To what extent was the family set apart because of this birth story?
What happens when our stories are so deeply and visibly connected to God? How does this change our relationships with others who may not have the same relationship with God, or the same desire to serve God? How does a willingness to continually seek ways to authentically embody our faith, impact our relationships with the wider community?
We don’t have all the details of John’s story. We don’t know if he felt lonely, bullied, or excluded because of who he was called to be. We do know that he gathered crowds with his preaching and baptising. We do know that there were some who were not particularly fond of what he had to say. We do know that he remained resolute in his task. He was the voice crying out in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord.
John’s story was of someone who continually pointed the way to Jesus. So, what do we take from his story? To what extent can we see ourselves reflected in him? How might we be inspired by the example of John? Are there ways in which we also see our work as pointing the way to Jesus?
Why do we have a clothing cupboard? Is it so we can baptise more people? Or do we do it because whatsoever we do to the least of these who are siblings of Christ we do for Christ? Are we affirming and inclusive with the hopes of filling our pews? Or do we do it to proclaim to those on the margins, those who may have experienced religious and spiritual trauma, that God loves them? Do we invite the community to our building solely to pay our bills? Or do we do it to show the wider community that there is value in loving God and loving neighbour?
Are our actions to benefit us or to point the way to God because we trust that God, working in and through us can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine? What story are we choosing to tell? How is our story like the story of John the Baptist?
The world still needs voices in the wilderness proclaiming prepare the way of the Lord, make straight the paths. We know from John the Baptist that this work is not easy. We can also trust that God works in and through those who are willing to serve God. May we be perpetually inspired by the stories of John the Baptist and other people of faith so that we too can remain resolute in our commitment to live our faith whatever that may look like for us today. This we pray as we sing:(VT) 237 Now the Heavens