Advent Creativity

The people who came to John the Baptist wanted to know, even as every good church person today wants to know, just what they ought to do to restore religion and renew their faith. Turn around, says John. And he meant just that.

Readers who have attended a CREDO I conference will recall a similar self-admonition from photographer Dewitt Jones in the film Everyday Creativity: "Turn around, Dewitt; you're shooting the wrong way."

The Biblical people who approached John the Baptist wrestled with the same dilemma. They were looking in the wrong direction. They sought suggestions on how to be more holy, more spiritual, more sacred, more devout. And John gave them very strange counsel. He didn't tell them to pray more. He didn't tell them to fast. He didn't exhort them to make greater sacrifices in the temples, nor did he tell them to read scripture.

In answer to their cries, he told them to literally turn around and go back to their work. He told them that to be holy people, to be God's people, they should go back to whatever they had been doing, and do it as God would have it done. To the person with abundance of clothing and food, he said they should simply achieve equitable balance by giving what they didn't truly need over to someone who could make good use of their excess. Soldiers were told to be better and more honest soldiers. Tax-gatherers were told to go back to their jobs and ply them honestly.

Being the people of God, then, had nothing to do with going to worship or undertaking special devotions. In short, it was not a matter of being more religious, but of being more fully secular that would distinguish them as people of God. They were not to turn away from the world, but rather they were to turn away from their false religiosity, do a complete about face, and embrace the world they sought to escape -- embrace it fully as God embraces the world.
 
                                          --Sam Portaro
                                          CREDO Faculty member
                                                     http://episcopalcredo.org

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               Advent Daily Reflection

CREDO hosts a daily devotion during Advent: a one-minute spiritual reflection plus a health tip from Episcopal Church Medical Trust. How might this season rekindle your passion for health and wellness?

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Two minutes a day during Advent, to prepare yourself for health and wellness.