faux anything

Thursday December 20^th, Luke 3: 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 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.  John was not someone you would want your daughter to bring home to meet the family.  Under his seemingly gruff manner however was a truth.  When God comes into our lives, our lives are changed.  That is the nature of being in a loving relationship with God.  It is not always instant, it is not always complete, but it always nudges you closer to what God wants you for you in your life.  The crowds coming indicate that for some it was nothing more than a fad, and anybody who was anybody was doing it.  Some were looking for a way to bypass the temple in Jerusalem and get right with God by a simple dunking.  What they were not after was life change which would lead to system change in their world, their society outside the church. But just like faux pearls, faux fur, faux diamonds, and faux anything in fashion, it just didn't wear well.  John was very up front about saying, “Get Real!!!!” and then come.  Advent is a call for us to “Get Real!!!!” with our faith also.  No faux religion with the once or twice a year drop in to the local worship service, but hearts open to God’s vision for your life, for society, and your part in it in bringing about the change in it as well as in yourself.