Stepping out of Expectation

Friday, December 4, 2020

John 1:34

“I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”

This verse falls in a passage where John the Baptist gave a testimony about who Jesus was. This was before Jesus began his three year ministry. John saw the Spirit’s presence on Jesus, his cousin, and it was like nothing John had ever seen before. He unwaveringly and confidently knew Jesus was God’s Chosen One.

And yet, a couple years later when John was in prison, knowing his breath would soon be stolen from his body, John sent his students to Jesus because John began to question his previous conviction. He wavered in his own testimony. He wondered about his own witness. On the brink of death, John had to do whatever he could to stamp out his doubt because Jesus, whom he baptized, wasn’t moving on John’s timeline or within John’s expectation.

Now, if anyone ever defied expectations, it was John. This guy was a rogue priest who abandoned any pretense of stable Temple life. He forsook robes, rituals, and duty, giving up power, authority, shelter, predictability, three square meals for an unstable wilderness existence. He wore robes of hairy camel leather. He foraged for food, even eating the pesky locusts with honey. (side-note: If you’ve ever had friend grasshoppers, John’s mealtime reminds me of dipping salty french fries in a chocolate Frosty). 

Anyway, all I’m saying is that for a man who defied anyone’s expectations or timelines, John lived in quite a lot of doubt about Jesus and the timeline he was on. 

It turns out most people expected God’s Chosen One to destroy their enemies and clear out the Roman oppressors, not clear out the Temple. This Chosen One would kick-ass, not ride one. So John just needed to know if Jesus was who he said he was or should he expect someone else. 

Oftentimes my expectations come heavy with potential disappointment. I carry cumbersome expectations into most situations instead of arriving ready to receive. Jesus answered John’s students with something like, “You want to know if I’m God’s Chosen One? Just share what you see, not what you expect. Arrive ready to receive, not weighed down by your expectations. What do you see? You’re right, enemies haven’t been wiped out and this life is still really hard. But I’m not here to make life easier. I’m here to restore marginalized, oppressed, all people to community. I’ve come to take everything broken in this world and tenderly piece it back together again. I’m healing the sick, dying, left for dead, abandoned peoples by breathing new life in and around them.” 

Jesus answered them, “Let John know how expansive God’s love is for everyone because that should be enough. Share what you see, not what you expect.”* They expected a king, a warrior, a champion but got a pauper, a peacemaker, a friend. Born around animals instead of gold with no place to lay his head. And yet, once they looked they saw what really mattered most—subverting expectations. 

Share what you see, not what you expect. What do you see, dear friends? In a world heavy with disappointment, what do you see when you look past your expectations? With Christ as your lens, how will you subvert expectations? What are you able to give to this world that’s so desperate for love; so desperate to be seen?

God may not always move on our timelines or within our expectations. We might find ourselves doubting God or God’s timeline because it doesn’t fit our expectations. But even within our doubts and disappointments, God sees you as you are and loves you deeply right now. May we prepare some room as the truth of God’s love subverts our expectations. 

With (love),

Bethany