Ani Weinman

Dear friends,

“Expectation is the currency of fools.”*

We have the privilege of reading the scriptures with hindsight. There is the mountain of knowledge, discovery, and theology standing between us and the events of the bible. We get to see John the Baptist in light of the whole story. We have the privilege of a wide angle lens. This is not a perspective that John, his family, or community had. I wonder what their expectations of John were?

The circumstances of John's conception and birth were miraculous. His father Zechariah, a priest, and his mother Elizabeth, a descendant of Aaron, were childless for most of their lives. Suddenly Zechariah can’t speak and Elizabeth is pregnant! That is quite a story, one that was likely spread all over town. I wonder what expectations began to build? Will he be a priest like his father? Will he be a prophet? Will he be the Messiah? Will he be the one to save us?

Reality did not match the expectation. The reality was that he went to the desert rather than the temple. John listened to the Holy Spirit, spoke truth to the people and didn't back down when the rich and powerful were upset with what he said. He called the people to share what they had and to be content. He got them ready for what was next.

The most important work that John was doing was preparing people for the reality that they were never expecting. John couldn't be what his family, friends, or strangers standing on the edge of Jordan river thought he would be. John could not be what was expected because his job was to point to Jesus, and of course, Jesus would not be what they expected either.

John’s reality did not match expectations.
Jesus’ reality did not match expectations.
The reality of John paved the way for the unexpected messiah, Jesus.
John was not the one they expected. John pointed to the reality they needed.

In the face of all the expectations put on John and the reality of his short life and terrible death, I think of his courage. I imagine him, standing in the water, voice booming out to the people of every class and race, speaking truth and pointing to Jesus.

“I thought how your courage would never cease. Like the waves of the sea, like the waves I see.” 

—Ani

*The Kitchen, a song by Tow’rs