Displacement may be a calling bestowed upon us by God—a commission to go outside of our “usual place” on purpose with a message. The moment John the Baptist was conceived he’d been given a purpose—to enter the world with a message, to make a way. John’s pilgrimage prepared the way for the coming Christ, launching us our pilgrimage of redemption.
“And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the
Zechariah’s Song in Luke 1:76-77Most High ; for you will go before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins […]”
A Wild Pilgrim
John is remembered for living in the desert, eating locusts and wild honey, unkempt hair and clothing made of animal skins. I think it’s safe to say he was a bit of an outsider, eclectic even. What interests me the most about John is that one day he left his family and community and walked into the desert. One verse in Luke says that he lived there until he appeared publicly to Israel. Commentaries suggest he wandered in the desert for thirty years until he set out proclaiming the message of repentance of sin and baptism for a mere six months before being imprisoned and killed by Herod.*
A Calling to Displacement
I’d like to preface that a calling to displacement doesn’t necessarily mean picking up your REI hiking pack and heading to another country without thought. As I’ve expressed in, “You’re Displaced Too,” each of us has been displaced to one new location or another. We each have a general call to live out our faith in whatever ‘unusual place’ we find ourselves living, but sometimes we receive a specific calling to a particular place, people, vocation or message and it may involve further intentional displacement.
John’s call had distinct components that involved pulling away from a norm in his culture and hometown. These movements set him apart and set him up for his particular mission. At the heart all of this, his appointment and commission came from God, as all distinct callings toward displacement should.
The Nature of John’s Displacement
A desert season—Moses, the Israelites, David, Job, Jesus are a few others who spent significant time in the desert: a lonely and isolated place. These seasons were intentional and pivotal for the preparation and spiritual growth of these persons. In the
A Life-giving Message— “I am the voice of the one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’” (John 1:23)
In the Book of Mark, we learn that John’s message is one of repentance from sin toward a change in lifestyle through baptism all in preparation for the coming savior. He was encouraging others to start a pilgrimage toward a new life in the Holy Spirit, a new path to God. As we heard from Zechariah, John’s words were not his own. He did not conjure up a scheme to gather a following unto himself. The message came from God, directed people to God, and made way for God’s redemptive plans. As we pilgrim through life, our words and actions should do the same. Displacement puts us in new places so that we can carry life to places; Christ living in us. How we choose to live among the people in which we find ourselves living can either point them to a source of joy, peace, and love or emptiness. John’s distinct message formed out of his season in the desert while in communion with God and gave him the confidence and security to live fully himself in complete devotion to the message God gave him.
A Specific Task— Not only did God make John a messenger,
Bondage and Death— John spent most of his life in the desert and only six months in ministry, our response may be that that’s absurd. What a waste. His life came to an end after being imprisoned and beheaded. If that had been our extent of “success” in ministry we’d feel disappointed or cheated. But consider Jesus’ words about John, “Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist!” John was the final prophet ushering in Christ. He encouraged faith toward Christ for salvation and showed the path toward repentance from sin. This was all in an effort to encourage us forward on the final stretch of our pilgrimage. His short-lived ministry and death were not wasted. The eternal value of how we live and serve continues beyond our time on earth.
A specific call to displacement isn’t easy. In fact, it can be dangerous, involve detainment, or be cut short by death. I believe John’s desert season prepared him to endure all these judgments; his faith empowered him. There are brothers and sisters across the globe who can attest to the risks involved with confessing Christ as the way, the truth, and the life. Like John and many others who have gone before us, our death is not our end, but a continuation of life with Christ.
Reflection
- Have you found yourself in a desert season? Do you run away or embrace the loneliness and isolation for spiritual development? How might your view of this season be changed so that you can commune deeper with God in the desert?
- Do you sense God calling you toward intentional displacement? If so, for what purpose and is it life-giving and God-glorifying?
- Intentional displacement doesn’t necessarily mean moving across the globe, it may be choosing to live in a particular neighborhood to be a part of
change in your neighborhood or engaging in a new culture in your city. John ministered among his own people too. Consider where you are living, is there a place, people, or message God may be asking you to share?
Share with others along your wandering path, invite them to join the wandering way community. Or share how God is calling you to live out your faith in your current displacement?
*Note: Commentary: Series: The Life and Ministry of John the Baptist, Samuel Whitefield, https://samuelwhitefield.com/1144/a-prophet-emerges-in-the-wilderness
