I’ve always loved John the Baptist, the lonely wanderer, the poetic beauty of being “the voice of one crying out in the wilderness.” But I confess, this year I read about John and thought he was a bit of a weirdo. Walking around shouting at people, wearing rough clothes, scavenging for his food– John’s behavior is a little strange, or at least worth noting, even to his contemporaries. John’s garments and diet were those of the very poor, and as one biblical commentary points out, as the only son of a priest he probably could have afforded much better.
Was the way John presented himself about solidarity with the powerless, living an austere lifestyle, or recalling Elijah? While his message is foggy to me, it seems clear that he was trying to say something.
I’ve been thinking a lot about the fact that, like it or not, our appearance is a language through which we broadcast messages about ourselves to the world. One of the responsibilities in my new job is helping young people apply for internships and entry into the workforce. Last week, a young black woman, a bright and talented student that any employer would be lucky to have, asked what she would do with her hair for an upcoming interview. As a person who cares about dismantling racism, classism, and sexism, I wanted to tell her: whatever you damn want. Instead, I told her that the “safe” thing to do would be to style it smooth, or pulled back in a neat ponytail. She followed my advice, aced the interview, and got the internship–but that doesn’t make me feel any better about my role in perpetuating cultural norms about appearance that are rooted in those isms.
As if that isn’t weighty enough, there are other serious spiritual questions embedded in the way we clothe and groom ourselves: how we spend our money, how we feel about our bodies, how we hope to be perceived.
I’m struck by John’s courage to stand out, by his decision to lean away from his privilege. As we enter a season that has been corrupted and co-opted by the gods of consumption and materialism, there’s John, standing alone in his ragged clothes, warning us to take notice, reconsider our assumptions, and do life differently if we want to be ready for all the of good that awaits. Am I brave enough to listen?
*Matthew 3:1-12
–Erica Lloyd, Seekers Church
- What message(s) do you try to convey with your appearance?
- To what extent are those messages shaped by cultural norms, and to what extent by your personal values?
