There is a lot of light in the world, and much goodness. If all we do is think of how the world is not good enough, or things are falling apart, and will only lead us astray, we do a great disservice both to creation and the Creator. This world is not all there is, and it is certainly not the best thing there is, but it is very certainly a good thing that is. We should look to the goodness of the world, and think of what a good Creator gave us this. But we can look at the goodness, and even rejoice in this goodness, and still not be satisfied.
Jesus takes this attitude with John the Baptist today. John was a great light to all who heard his words. But even though the people “content to rejoice in his light,” Jesus had a still greater message to bring to them. It was not a message of “John was evil and I am good,” but “John was good and I am even more good.” We are waiting for Jesus because God found the world good enough to come into and save from within. We know that there is goodness, but we know that there can be more. That is the struggle of the Advent wait–to not be content to rejoice in the goodness we see, but to continue to hope for when God shows us more.