My Son, John

Suppose you were to give the introductory speech introducing your child to the World. What would you say? I have heard a lot of things when I meet babies for the first time. Obviously they are all “cute.” Sometimes we are reminded of how they favor some member of the family (as if they really did). We talk about them at every opportunity to whomever will listen.

Perhaps that is why I find Zechariah’s words so interesting when he gather with his wife, Elizabeth, and friends for the circumcision of his son, John (you’ll have to read the narrative in Luke 1:36-80). His introduction speech is twelve (12) verses long. But, his words about his son John are confined to two (2) verses (76-77). The other ten (10) verses are about Mary’s son, Jesus. Talk about getting one’s priorities straight.

Just in case you might have overlooked it, I like Zechariah’s characterization of Mary’s baby – “the Dawn from on high will visit us to shine on those who live in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (John 1:78b-79)

If there is anything now needed in our society, and in our individual life, it is the recognition that we live in darkness, and if we have not come to faith in Christ, there is still the shadow of death. For Believers, Christmas reminds us that even in the midst of the darkness around us there is the light of Truth and the presence of God’s Spirit in us to “guide our feet into the way of peace.” 

Those words put the right focus on these days. Christmas is about the Cross and the reality of Life in Christ – where REAL peace is found.