As Mary and Joseph walked into the outer courts of the temple, a man came and took Jesus into his arms.

His name was Simeon. Not a priest, not anyone special by title. But by reputation, he was righteous and devout.

Simeon lived in Jerusalem. Simeon was living his life, aware of prophecies, building a reputation. Simeon was waiting for the consolation of Israel. For the Messiah.

He was doing whatever he did. It wasn’t important enough for Luke to mention. What Luke does mention is that he had a reputation as a righteous and devout man. The way he lived was respectable and respected. And he followed God.

It’s possible to be devout and not righteous, of course, to be spiritual without being transformed.

The text says that he was living with a promise, and was doing his work. Whatever that was.

He took Jesus, he spoke to God, spoke a blessing on the family. Though it’s not the kind of blessing I’d like to give.

He says, in essence,

God, I can die now. And Jesus is going to bring clarity, showing who is truthful about God and who is not. And Mary, you are going to feel stabbed in the heart.

And then he disappears from the story.

But we can look at him before he leaves, and notice that he had lived a life doing good things and listening to God. And the Spirit was with him. And he took what God said to him as truth.

It’s a way to choose to live. We have the Spirit with us. And we have countless promises from God (like the one from Jesus that he is with us always.)

Whatever else showed up in the news, whatever other things were happening in Jerusalem, whatever distractions there were around him, Simeon was ready to go to the temple when the Spirit nudged him. At that moment, and likely for most of his moments, he was listening for the one thing, caring about the one consolation, believing that he would live until God kept God’s word.

So can we.