I am not one of the seven dwarfs, but I do whistle while I work. It used to drive my very good-natured employer crazy—and perhaps because he was a little ADHD, it was a distraction.
Without intentionally thinking about it, I would find myself whistling the tune from the Wizard of Oz—you know the one from the Scarecrow—“I would not be just a nuthin; my head all full of stuffin; my heart all filled with pain (ta da, ta da, ta da)…with the thoughts I’d be thinkin, I could be another Lincoln, if I only had a brain.”
Funny and ironic for work, but the song always came to mind as I whistled my way toward productivity. My co-worker, in the adjacent office, had the same tic, and soon we were both whistling. To shut us up, our boss would sing as if he were Figaro in the New York Metropolitan Opera. This was the whistle stop! Followed by uproarious laughter—a much-needed respite before returning to work—a win/win for everyone.
John the Baptist had no time for whistling as he traveled the countryside doing his work. People responded to his call for repentance, and they swamped him at the rivers, desiring baptism. Even Jesus came to be baptized by John. However, before this happened, the Jewish leaders sent Levites to ask John one question; "What do you have to say about yourself?"
“I am not the Christ,” John said. “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”(John 1:19-23) John knew his place in life. He was sent by God to play a special part in the revelation of Messiah to Israel. But, John did not think more highly of himself than he should. He was only a voice; a man on a mission from God and for God’s glory.
When Jesus came to be baptized, John saw the sign—the Spirit of God descending upon Jesus in the form of a dove. John said to the priests, “For this purpose I came baptizing with water, that He might be revealed to Israel…and I have seen and have born witness that this is the Son of God.”(John 1:29-34) John knew what to look for, because he heard God’s word.
The next day, John stood with two of his disciples as Jesus walked by. John said, “Behold the Lamb of God.”(John 1:35-36) Immediately, those disciples left John and followed the Son of God. John pointed people to Jesus not himself.
John the Baptist was going about, tending to and minding his business. He understood and accepted his place in life. John did not allow his large following to become fodder for selfish ambition. His relationship with God defined his purpose in life. It also gave him his sense of self-worth and his sense of personal mission. John was not trying to make a name for himself instead he showed his dependence on God by staying in step with God’s plan for his life.
Also, John had patience for God’s timing—and it paid off. While John was doing his work, suddenly the Son of God appeared. John recognized Jesus because John knew what to look for—the Spirit of God touching down. The Spirit of God always bears witness to the truth of God—that Jesus Christ is Lord. A false religion or false messiah will always negate the uniqueness and divinity of Jesus Christ. If I am immersed in God’s word, I too will recognize when false messiahs or teachings arise—because these do not point to Jesus as the only Son of God.
John responded correctly to the revelation of God. He, immediately, proclaimed the truth about Jesus and directed his followers to pursue Jesus. Whenever a dynamic ministry leader does not do the same, they are missing the mark. If I do not do the same in my ordinary, everyday life, I am missing the point. My purpose, no matter what work I do, is to point people to Jesus Christ. The Spirit of God will touch people’s lives as they look to and follow Jesus.
This is Passion Week. May the work of John the Baptist be accomplished in and through me: proclaim and point to Jesus as the only Son of God.
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