A cornucopia of tastes flows over our Thanksgiving table.  

Brined and baked turkey to brown sugar glazed ham. Green beans with bacon and sweet potatoes with marshmallows and roasted carrots with goat cheese. Stuffing with giblet gravy. Cranberry salad and cranberry sauce.  Rolls with butter. Lots of butter.

And pies.

Pumpkin occupies the Thanksgiving pie podium by right of firstborn. But pecan is the fraternal twin arriving seconds later. Both bearing the Thanksgiving name. Both with Dream Whip on top.

No need for fancy extras like cream cheese or a chocolate bottom. Just pumpkin and eggs and sugar and spices. Just pecans and eggs with brown sugar and Karo syrup.

Plain and simple. Meant to wrap up the feast not outshine it. Positions of great worth born in a spirit of great humility. Sweet servants to one’s stomach.

Reminds me of a second-fiddle from the New Testament. Jesus’ cousin John, aka John the Baptist.

Speaking of simple. Honey and wild locusts for dinner. Animal skins for clothing. Like the great uncle who lives alone and occasionally shows up for Thanksgiving dinner causing your mom to send a warning email to the family only to be surprised when Unc shows up with a bottle of expensive wine and wise words that round out the celebration perfectly.

John put it like this when explaining his relationship to Jesus: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3.30)

John grasped his role in the greater story. A messenger for the King, but not to be the King. A proclaimer of the One Promised, but never to be the One Promised.

His a drive-by location rather than a destination. Great at attracting crowds but never destined to be the main attraction. A supporting actor. Not the lead.

More pumpkin and pecan than the roasted meats occupying the top of the menu and center of the table.

This week, be pumpkin. Or pecan. Or Johnny B. Leave the seat of honor for Jesus.