John the Baptist was one of the pivotal figures in the history of salvation. (He is also revered in Islam.) In the gospel of John, for example, the Baptist points out Jesus as “the Lamb of God.” The synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) seem a little truer to the actual history in portraying John as being unsure of what to make of Jesus. He seems to have expected someone who was more militant in bringing about the reign of God, unlike Jesus who was “meek and humble of heart.” But John persevered. Our lesson: don’t be afraid to act even when things are not completely clear. If we wait for surety we can get frozen into inaction. Act and leave the rest to God.
