What, Then, Should We Do?

"Even now the ax

is lying at the root of the trees;

therefore every tree

that does not bear good fruit

will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

And the crowds asked him,

“What, then, should we do?”

(From Luke 3:7-18)

During fellowship time after worship, the conversation at my table turned to drones.

Folks began to drone on about drones.

"Why don't they just shoot them down?

    With apologies to Longfellow:

        "I shot the drone in the air,

        It fell to earth, I know not where."

"Why don't they just tell us what they are?

The FBI and DHS stated they believe most of the drone sightings are cases of “mistaken identity."

Most of the public are misidentifying small, legally operating manned aircraft, or commercial airliners, as drones which may actually be commercial drones.

The sightings create a sense of urgency, and anxiety. 

What should we do?

This is the same question people asked John the Baptist after he warned them of the coming wrath; the axe and the fire.

He declared, "bear fruits worthy of repentance!"

John the Baptist is talking about a repentance that is a concern for faithful action which marks a life realigned with God’s purpose.

Repentance in the Gospel of Luke is not just a feeling, instead it means concrete acts of change

It amounts to recalibrating the course of your life; reexamining your thinking, or plan, or system of values, and adjust it in accord with a new understanding or purpose of God. 

The call to repentance may truly be good news because it invites us to take practical steps toward aligning our lives more squarely with God’s purposes.

That's why John gives distinct instructions: to the crowd share clothing and food: to tax collectors,collect justly; to soldiers, be content without extortion 

Repentance takes abstract aspects of faith and makes them external and concrete. It gives opportunity for faith to have full expression.

Today, John’s message calls us to step away from our conventional patterns so our can sights be recalibrated on the One who draws near to us, not just at Christmastime, but every day.