Scripture
‘The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” “What should we do then?” the crowd asked. John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.” ‘ Luke 3:9-11
Observation
John the Baptist was warning the crowd against complacency. They had the right lineage, they had the right bragging points. Unfortunately, this is all they had. They had not chosen their own lineage, and their arrogance had lulled them into a place of thinking that their family tree was all that mattered. John had to wake them up to the uncomfortable truth, that God was looking for people who bore the right fruit–not just people with the right roots. For all of their inflated view of themselves, the solution was…..laundry and lunch!
Application
The things that God values sometimes seem backward to our human understanding. Why was God so concerned about lunches and laundry? The answer is that things things were decisions to be made by those in the crowd. It was as if God was saying “Your lineage is nice, but what about your heart? What path will you choose to take, instead of just letting the story unfold around you?” This week I need to ask myself the same question. When I see opportunities around me to share the love of Christ in practical ways with others, I have the choice to either sit back in smug complacency, or I can choose to get my hands dirty and be the conduit by which God’s transforming love is poured out.
Prayer
God, help me to see and recognize opportunities to be a conduit of Your grace. Help me to never become complacent in my relationship with you, but rather always looking for opportunities to grow to be more like you. Thank you for your provision in my own life, and for the privilege of sharing those blessings with others.