Have you seen the immensely popular movie, “Wicked: For Good”?

No spoilers here, but I did and liked it… though I know that not everyone feels the same way. The story, based on the Broadway musical, is one that turns everything we thought we knew about “The Wizard of Oz” upside down and on its head. Again, no spoilers, but I have heard some people say that they loved the total reimagining of the original story, while others did not. I think these mixed reviews are based on expectations.

You could say the same thing about John the Baptist. Clearly, there were some who loved him as the Gospel notes that people from all over the entire region were going out to see him. But then there were others, like the Pharisees and Sadducees – who he referred to as a “brood of vipers” to their faces – who didn’t like him so much. Like “Wicked: For Good”, John the Baptist got mixed reviews. And like the movie, I think the mixed reviews are based on expectations.

If you were expecting the Messiah to come as a great warrior king who would free you from the Romans, then the weird guy out in the desert might not exactly be your cup of tea. But if you were open to a reimagining of the entire story, then you might appreciate the man.

Regardless of your expectations, though, I think it’s important to reflect on the fact that John’s message of preparation began with personal acknowledgment, recognition, and repentance. John was sent to make straight the path and the way he did so was to hold a giant mirror up to the people and ask them to be honest about what they saw staring back at them.

I think that Advent is a giant mirror for all of us. We are invited to take a serious look and then to be honest about what we see. John the Baptist challenged everyone to prepare, to truly prepare, by looking at themselves first. He showed them that what was coming would not at all be what they expected, that there would be plot twists and cliff hangers, foreshadowing and mystery, conflict and challenges, heroes and villains. From the get go, John was alerting them to the fact that everything they thought might happen, would not happen. 

Expectations.

He let them know that the white knight savior they had been hoping for would ask something of them first: self-reflection, reckoning, and true and sincere repentance. He clearly understood that seeds take better in fertile ground.

When you look in the mirror, what do you see? What do you really see? What might need some tending to? Where could forgiveness fit in? What is standing in the way of your relationship with Christ?

The Prince of Peace is coming… both metaphorically at Christmas and then actually at the end of our lives.

And so…

Let’s get ready.

Let’s look in that mirror.

And then let’s make the soil better.