A Reflection for Sunday, December 15, 2024 by Grace Bala
Lectionary reading for 12/15/2024: Isaiah 12:2-6, Zephaniah 3:14-20, Philippians 4:4-7, Luke 3:7-18
Selected passage for reflection: Luke 3:7-18
Read
Luke 3:7-18
7 John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Therefore, bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 9 Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
10 And the crowds asked him, “What, then, should we do?” 11 In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none, and whoever has food must do likewise.” 12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” 13 He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” 14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.”
15 As the people were filled with expectation and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah,[a] 16 John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water, but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with[b] the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
18 So with many other exhortations he proclaimed the good news to the people.
Reflect
John the Baptist doesn’t hold back. In our text, his words cut through excuses and complacency and land at the heart of the truth. He confronts the crowd head-on: their status, their traditions, their reliance on being part of the “chosen” people—it won’t protect them. Instead, they’re called to something deeper: a genuine transformation of the heart and life.
I imagine his message landing in different ways through the crowds. For those comfortable, it’s a jolt—a wake-up call that challenges their privilege. For those who’ve been pushed to the margins, John’s fiery tone might feel like hope. His promise is clear: God’s justice is coming, and it’s not business as usual.
I think about how often we look for safety in things that feel familiar—our routines, our affiliations, our sense of self. John’s words remind me that true faith isn’t about clinging to what we’ve always known. It’s about bearing fruit, living lives that reflect justice and love in tangible ways.
I resonate with John’s urgency in this text. His vision of justice doesn’t trickle down; it turns systems upside down. When the crowd asks what repentance looks like, John doesn’t offer abstract theology but practical equity: share your coat, share your food, and refuse to exploit.
There are also echoes of womanist theology in this passage. Womanist thought—rooted in the experiences of Black women—sees God’s justice as communal and embodied. It asks: How are we caring for the hungry? Clothing the naked? Dismantling systems that exploit? These questions, urgent in John’s day, are no less pressing now.
And then there’s fire. Fire that purifies, consumes, and refines. When John speaks of Jesus as the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire, I feel both awe and trepidation. Fire destroys, yes, but it also ignites. What flames are waiting to be kindled in our lives, our communities?
This passage pushes us to examine our own hearts. What parts of us are like those “vipers” John calls out—selfishness, fear, or the ways I avoid the hard work of change? And it also makes me think about the world we’re building. What systems need to be burned away so justice can flourish?
Respond
What’s one way you can “bear fruit” today? Maybe it’s sharing with someone in need, advocating for fairness in your community, or simply showing up for a friend with love and intention.
Rest
Holy One,
Light a fire in us for justice and love. Burn away the parts of us that hold back and help us live lives that reflect your vision for the world. Amen.
About the Author
Grace Bala (she/her) is a hospital chaplain in Eastern Pennsylvania. As a chaplain, a birth doula and a mother to an almost one year old, Meryem, Grace spends her days learning about herself, the world and most importantly, her daughter’s world. In her free time, Grace and her family enjoy adventuring outside and taking advantage of their location by enjoying lots of international food!
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