Light of the WorldSample

In the year 1900, a 16-year-old girl named Amelia was volunteering her time to gather donations for the Salvation Army near Wall Street in New York City. Her smiling presence with a red kettle was not enough to cause bankers to disrupt their busy days to stop and donate to her cause. So she decided to buy a bell for ten cents and ring it loudly. This distinct sound broke through the chatter on the busy street and woke those bankers up to her presence and the need. Her strategy was so effective that the Salvation Army adopted it as standard practice.

In Matthew 3 we don’t find a bell ringing; we find a loud voice. We don’t find a busy street of distracted bankers; we find God’s people distracted by their lives and religious leaders filled with more hypocrisy than holiness. And we don’t find a need to offer up money; we find a need to repent and offer up hearts to the coming Messiah.

John was indeed a loud voice; a disruption to a normal day. He went everywhere near the Jordan River, shouting to repent and prepare for the Messiah who was coming. John’s singular mission was to wake up a generation to their need for a Messiah and to help them recognize the Messiah when he came.

More so than Amelia, John was effective. John led many to repentance and baptized them with water, explaining that one day the Messiah would baptize them with the Holy Spirit. When the Messiah did arrive, John continued to ring the bell, pointing others toward Jesus and away from himself. He continued to use his loud voice to proclaim the good tidings of great joy. John continued to wake people up.

Question:
How are you using your loud voice? Are you allowing God to disrupt your plans so that His good news is shared?

Application:
As we enter the countdown to Christmas, set a reminder on your phone for 12:25 pm. When the reminder alerts you, pause-ponder-pray-proceed. Pause your busyness. Ponder the goodness and the great news of Christ’s coming. Pray, asking God to reveal how He wants to disrupt your day to make room for His Son. Proceed to do what God is asking you to do, even if it changes your day.