WEDNESDAY, October 6 (William Tyndale)

Luke 7:18-35. When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes?”

He stood at the door of the church office, a nondescript little man in shabby clothes. Since we were on a main street that was also a cross-country highway, there were a lot like him. “Could you spare a little change for a meal? Our car has broken down. Can you put us up for the night?” Sad to say, there are more such persons all the time.

Only he was different. He was poor, yes. On the road, a wanderer, yes. But he had stopped to ask a different question. “How is it with you, pastor?” At first I thought it was a come-on, more elaborate than most. But he had meant it. He crossed the country two or three times a year, stopping as the spirit moved him to ask people about their faith. Over the years, I probably saw him on eight or ten occasions. We had a lot to share.

He became a John the Baptist figure in my life, enough out of the ordinary to ask arresting questions. Eccentric. Not your usual preacher. Full of the Holy ­Spirit. Not what you’d expect. One of God’s surprises. (1994)

PRAY for the Dioceses of Ijebu and Ijebu–North (Province of Lagos, Nigeria)

Ps 119:145-176 * 128, 129, 130; Micah 2:1-13; Acts 23:23-35

View the daily Lectionary Readings at Satucket.com.
Or view the Bible passages at Biblegateway.com.

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