By Ben Cox, Sojourners Internship Program
“I am not worthy to carry his sandals.” - Matthew 3:1-12
I want to be like the wheat that will be gathered by Jesus, and not like the chaff burning in
“unquenchable fire,” I am, in fact, made of both wheat and chaff. Being the perfect follower of Christ is
easier said than done; just as wheat develops chaff, so too do humans make mistakes.
I have at times felt so scared of messing up that I had no desire to do anything. I can relate to John the
Baptist, who felt unworthy to carry Jesus’ sandals. Yet, Jesus loved him just as he loves us. Furthermore,
John the Baptist assures us that we are more than our past mistakes. Christ will burn our chaff, what
separates us from God, so that it will be no more and will not define us.
It would be easy to misinterpret John the Baptist's words and think that some people who make mistakes
will forever burn in this unquenchable fire, but that is not the Gospel. I like how 1 Corinthians 3:11-15
explicitly describes God's use of fire on the last day - it is cleansing, not condemning. According to 1
Corinthians, everything we do in our lives that is not built on Christ will be burned up, yet the builder (i.e.
us) will be saved...but only as one escaping through flames. I will never be perfect here on Earth, and there
is a chance I’ll mess up at this nonprofit that I support as a Sojourners intern, but that imperfection does
not define me and will not stop me from living boldly and doing my absolute best.
The classic example of a “nice thing to do” in
school was to sit with someone at lunch who was
by themselves. I’m no longer in that school
environment, but there are still people like that
who I see every day on my way to work or
regularly at the gym.
Would it hurt to introduce ourselves to that person
and listen if they want to share? I have a fear of
their reaction, but chances are that recognizing
their presence will be appreciated as long as we
are appropriate. I invite you to try this with me the
remainder of Advent.
Loving God, sometimes I fail. I’m afraid of
messing up. I may value my reputation
more than I value doing the right thing.
Please help me hold you at the front of my
mind as I try to do what you would have
me do.
Thank you for cutting down and burning
every aspect of myself that is not built
with you as the foundation.
Please guide me so I may be satisfied with
having enough and know how I can best
serve you.
Amen.
As temperatures drop below freezing I find myself wanting to adjust the heating in the house; but John the
Baptist didn’t even have a house. Having enough money to buy a variety of groceries seems like
a “need” to me rather than a “want”, but John the Baptist ate locusts and honey. Although I still
would like to have a roof over my head, thinking about John the Baptist certainly makes me
question what “needs” I actually have, and encourages me to value a “theology of enough.”
Week 2 of Advent | December 8th, 2019