Readings: Psalm 146: 5-10; 1 Samuel 2:1-8; Luke 3:1-18
At my writing group this week we used the following prompt, “Money, time, and skill not being a problem, if I could give myself one gift, it would be….” Three of the four of us writing said we would quit our jobs and give ourselves a new start in a whole new career.
I’ve thought a lot about that since Wednesday. Each one of us is in a career that is valuable and useful to the world, and yet we would quit and start over. As we discussed our responses, one person said “I’m good at this job, but I’m so different now than I was at 22 when I started this career. What used to feel like a calling isn’t my calling anymore.”
We talked long about knowing who you are and knowing what are callings are. We also talked a lot about the signs we might have missed early on or the reasons we made the choices we did that could have impacted the direction we took our lives.
Everyone was expecting the Messiah to come soon, and they were eager to know whether John might be the Messiah. John answered their questions by saying, “I baptize you with water; but someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.” John used many such warnings as he announced the Good News to the people. (Luke 3:15-18)
I read this and see the clarity John had about who he was and what his job was and it’s contrast 
to who Jesus was and what Jesus’ job was. John had huge crowds following him, crushing in on him, and wanting to worship him. John also had the peace of knowing that this wasn’t his call. He was able to place the adoration of the people into the right and proper perspective and stand in his place in the world.
As we wait for the birth of Jesus this advent season, I pray peace over each of you as you do the thing you were called to…or look for the thing you were called to. The peace that comes with knowing that you are exactly where you are meant to be and that you are exactly who God intended to you to be is yours to stand in.
Peace to you!
xoxo