December 17: Somebody's Always Watching

December 17:

Luke 1:57-66  “When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son.  Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.  On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said, ‘No! He is to be called John.’  They said to her, ‘There is no one among your relatives who has that name.’  Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child.  He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone's astonishment he wrote, ‘His name is John.’  Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God.  The neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things.  Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, ‘What then is this child going to be?’ For the Lord's hand was with him.”

Several years ago when my father-in-law was still working as a carpenter, his truck broke down on one of major highways around the small town in which we live, and he ended up walking back into town to get some assistance.  This was in the days before cell phones were ubiquitous. 

The following Sunday, as my father-in-law was leaving church, the associate pastor at the time was greeting people as they left the Sanctuary. As the queue moved forward, the associate pastor recognized my father-in-law and attempted polite conversation as he shook my father-in-law’s hand. 

“I saw you earlier this week, walking along highway 23. I didn’t know it was you until I had driven by.  Did you have car trouble?”

My father-in-law, a stoic, blunt Norwegian, said, “Well, then, why didn’t you stop?”

The associate pastor was caught off guard and didn’t have a response. 

The story has always stuck with me as a reminder that someone is always watching.  Who we are on Sunday needs to be consistent with who we are the rest of the week.

It seems as though Zechariah learned that lesson the hard way as well.  Since the unfortunate episode when Zechariah had expressed disbelief at the angel’s news that he would be a father, Zechariah had not uttered a single syllable. 

Just as soon as the baby was born, speculation ensued as to the baby’s name.  Elizabeth, however, was firm in her obedience to God’s command. “He is to be called John!” (Luke 1:60).  When Zechariah was consulted, he, too, was as adamant as Elizabeth, “His name is John” (Luke 1:63). He was not making the same mistake twice, and for his obedience, Zechariah was rewarded with the ability to talk again.  His first reaction indicates the condition of his heart; he began praising God.

As is always the case, people were watching. “The neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things” (Luke 1: 65).  By nature, we humans are a nosey lot.  For good or ill, we like a good story – a little drama, heavy in plot with a little conflict or suspense to keep our attention piqued.  Terminal rubberneckers, we are always comparing our lives to those whom we watch; do measure, fall short or exceed the yard stick of behavior?

In the case of Zechariah and Elizabeth, the people were “awed” and as a consequence, all atwitter over the events that had taken place. The word, awe, can have several connotations, but we can definitely deduce that the people were influenced by the events.

Likewise, they were committed to the storyline. They wanted to know how this story would ultimately play out: “Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, ‘What then is this child going to be?’ For the Lord's hand was with him”  (Luke 1:66).

Now, more than ever, it was important for Zechariah and Elizabeth to remain firmly connected to their Lord and Savior.  One misstep could result in several steps backward with regard to preparation plan for John and later, Jesus Christ.  People were watching and were being influenced.  These would be the same people whom John would corral, baptize, and prepare for Christ’s coming.  Oh, the pressure for Zechariah and Elizabeth!

Or not.

If one has a relationship with Christ and nurtures it through prayer and the reading of Scripture, obedience isn’t something one does; it is who one is.  Stress and pressure results when obedience is a self-initiated act versus God-orchestrated submission.  If one keeps his/her eyes and heart focused on Christ, s/he does not have to worry about missteps. God will illuminate the path. And if we happen to lose our footing, He will graciously pick us up and nudge us forward.

Psalm 32:8 “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”

Just like Zechariah, I’m pretty sure that the associate pastor never made the same mistake twice.  I bet that the next time he saw one of his parishioners walking on the highway, he stopped. Someone is always watching.  Wouldn’t it be great if every time they looked at us, they saw the character of God in action?

Acts 20:35 “35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

Challenge: Call a grandparent. Spending time with a grandparent is a great way to learn about your heritage, your family history and even about yourself. You don’t have to live nearby to have a strong relationship with grandparents either. A simple phone call or a letter every now and then can be a way to stay in touch, even if you live far away from them.