The Shadow Dweller

John the Baptist is a larger than life character who stands on the stage of the New Testament story.  When Mary was visited by an angel who announced what God was about to do through her, she was told that John's mother, Elizabeth, was pregnant in her old age.  When Mary went to see Elizabeth, it was not just a social visit, but a visit which gave confirmation of what God was doing in and through her.  The word says that a not-yet-born John leaped for joy when the pregnant Mary stood before her cousin Elizabeth.  The two were linked  together in a powerful way by God even before either breathed this earth's air.

 

Though the older of the two, John was the lesser.  Like Jesus he disappears from the pages of the story until his 30th year.   Like Jesus he suddenly appears.  How long he had been a wilderness dweller, no one knows,  All that can be said is that the Spirit moved these two men toward each other at a time ordained by God.  It was not chance that brought them together as adults, but the divine plan which linked them to one another.  John the Baptist was the one who first pointed people to look at Jesus.  He spoke of Him as the Lamb of God.  He encouraged his own disciples to go after Jesus.  Like the Holy Spirit, he did not seek to call attention to himself, but to Jesus.  He was a true servant and shadow dweller.

His life is a reminder to us to live so that people are pointed toward Jesus.  We often live so that those around us are made aware of our individual importance, how much we are needed, or what we have done.  John points us to a higher purpose.  He points us toward a life of enabling people to see Jesus.  When we hear the Baptizer's  message to repent and begin to consider what it means, we soon come to see ourselves as those who need to repent of taking ourselves too seriously and regarding ourselves too highly.  Going from center stage to the shadows is a hard way.  "Father God, keep me from choosing the easy road.  Amen."