I am struck by John the Baptist, struck by his honesty, his brutal truth-telling. I am so afraid of angering people, I find myself softening John’s own message. It is difficult to convey his urgency in this world of comfort and convenience.
In Luke’s gospel, John warns us of the coming of Christ and urges us to be ready. When the people around him asked how they were to get ready, he told them what to do with their money and possessions. He did not mention prayer or worship or laughter or art, all he spoke of was our stuff, our wealth.
“If you have two coats, give one away. Do the same with any extra food that you have.”
I am struck by his words. They hit me like a punch in the stomach. Every morning, as I walk into work, I am surrounded by homeless men and women who come to the Cathedral for a hot cup of coffee. Every morning, I say hello. Sometimes we pray together. But I have not given them my coat or my car or my home or my checkbook. Sure, I make donations, I tithe to the church. Max and I have brought them cookies, breakfast goodies. But I wonder if John the Baptist would be satisfied with me or with any of us who give but not enough.
Tim Keller, in his wonderful new book Counterfeit Gods speaks poignantly about how our money has become an idol. We believe it makes us happy, keeps us well, fulfills our dreams. Americans are surrounded by idols: pagan gods of prosperity and beauty who lure us to believe that we will be happy if we just get more stuff.
This economic downturn has given us an immense opportunity to reevaluate our lifestyles, our priorities. Do we really need everything that we have? Could we live more simply, giving more and taking less? It is as if we are waking from a long sleep, from being under the spell of prosperity. It is time for us to wake up and lighten our loads.
Our idols are falling. Look at poor Tiger Woods. Handsome and possessing a skill as a golfer that has left the world in awe, Tiger had everything that Americans long for. But he was not happy. He could not even be satisfied with one of the most beautiful women in the world. So he took what he should not have taken, and now his life is a mess of tabloids. His fame and his wealth were not enough. They are never enough. That is what an idol is, something that you begin to worship, something that leads you away from God. If we hold onto idols, they will bring us down.
John the Baptist screams at us across the centuries, begging us to wake up and get ready. This is not the time to amass more stuff! Getting ready means giving. Give like crazy, until it hurts and beyond. If you do not need something, give it away.
This is not the season of buying. This is the season of giving.
