Back in 2019, my wife and I built our first home together. I like to think it went as smoothly as it possibly could have given the many stressful decisions that had to be made on our part as well as our builder. A good friend of mine who built homes for a living jokingly told me that by the end of the process we would not like our builder and our builder would not like us. I think we made it through without too much dislike for each other so I’ll count it as a win/win for both parties.

A particular passage from today’s reading made me recall the home building process. One of the longest and seemingly most unimportant parts of the process was building up the foundation of the property so that when the cement slab was poured, it would hold up under the pressure of the home that was to be built on top of it. It took weeks for them to test the soil, add loads and loads of dirt, and ultimately frame up for the concrete to be poured. All of that work was for a purpose-it allowed the home that we now live in and enjoy to last and not fall apart. We all know that the foundation is the most important part, but it’s not the fun part. It’s much more fun to see the new tub put into the bathroom, or the fireplace set as a centerpiece in the living room. The parts that we see and use everyday are most important-or are they? Without the proper foundation we could have none of that to enjoy.

In Matthew chapter 3 we meet John the Baptist preparing the way for Jesus’ arrival and ministry. John was not the flashiest, most fashionable guy. Many people likely thought he was crazy, yet he was the foundation for Jesus, the savior of the world’s ministry. He came to prepare the soil, prepare the hearts of people for what was to come. In Matthew 3:11 John says, “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

Just as all the dirt work and soil preparation for our home was not the prettiest part of our house, John was much the same to Jesus’ future ministry. It was just as important though. John prepared the way that would usher in the savior of the world-the very reason we gather together on Sunday to celebrate the new life that was given through the Holy Spirit. So let us remember to appreciate the preparation and may we prepare our hearts for what God has in store for us next!