Is This the One?

Have you ever been in the Mall or grocery store and thought you recognized someone so you called out their name? Then when they turn around it is not the person that you thought it was? I must admit it is kind of embarrassing. Have you ever been on the other side of this interaction? What did you do, did you just sit there and play like you were the person they thought you were? I was recently watching "King of Queens" in this episode Doug goes into a grocery store when a guy comes up to him and acts like he was once his best friend. Doug rather than asked the guy his name and how he knows him plays along. It then drives him crazy because he meets him throughout the store on numerous occasions but has no idea who the guy is or even his name. This week we will look at a Scripture that talks about the one that prepared the way. But it is surrounded by the question,"are you the man". Are you the one that the prophets told us about. But rather than pretending to be someone, John tells his followers that soon one will come that I am not worthy enough to tie his shoes. "After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
We live in a time and a day when people love to steal other peoples identity. Everyday we hear of someones identity being stolen. To steal someones identity is to totally rob of a person who they are. But John refused to steal the identity of Christ. John instead of "being the man" prerpared the way for the man. My football coach used to tell us that we needed to know our role. Some are starters and some are 2nd teamers. Some play on the special teams. Then there are the scout team players who were lower on the depth chart. He always said that no matter where you were on depth chart or what role you played they were all significant. But in order to be sucesssful you needed to know your role. John knew his role and his role was to prepare the way for Jesus. What role do you play in the Christmas story? Have you found that role yet?