Are you the one?

From today's reading: Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. Matthew 11:4-5

I like John the baptizer. The vision I claim is the handsome bearded guy singing "Prepare ye the way of the Lord" in the movie Godspell. He was the one who heralded the coming of Jesus, "He will baptize you with fire and the Holy Spirit..." and now he's sitting in prison alone and he wonders, "Did I make a mistake? Did I misunderstand?"

I think we all have had those kinds of questions at one time or another about any number of things in life. This was one of those times of trouble for John, and Jesus responds, "Look at what is happening all around - these are good things - this is the fruit of the Spirit. The people are receiving hope where none existed. They are seeing God at work in their lives. We are asked to open our eyes and see God at work around us. Yes there is still pain and turmoil in the world, but God's kingdom is seen in the response of faithful people who reach out and do what they can to help those in need.