Have you ever been made fun of or looked down on for trying to do the right thing?
Did you keep doing the right thing, or did the way people looked at you or treated you make change who you are?
John the Baptist was a Jewish prophet who is considered one of the most important people in the New Testament, and he was known as a “forerunner” of Jesus, but he was also talked about and made fun of. John was a strange man who lived in the wilderness, eating bugs, and wearing strange clothes made of camel hair, and the people probably thought he was a little (or a lot) crazy.
However, John the Baptist’s single mission in life was to pave the way for Jesus, and no matter what people said about him, he did his job.
Luke 1:76-79 says:
“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
The Bible states John grew up and didn't just that. Luke 1:80 says:
“And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.”
Jesus Himself said of John, “I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John” (Luke 7:28).
In John 5:35, Jesus calls him a “burning and shining lamp.”
That's what we should all strive to be: a burning lamp in the work that paves the way for Jesus in the lives of others. We do that by reading our Bible, studying it, and praying. We do this by seeking Jesus first, learning from how he talked, who he spent time with, and how. We do this by doing what we are supposed to do, how we are supposed to do it, and when.
When you do the right thing, people will question and doubt you, but be like John the Baptist: do the right thing no matter what.
SOMETHING(s) TO THINK ABOUT
1 - What is your biggest takeaway from John the Baptist's story?
2 - Could you be as consistent as John was? Could you be who you are when people around you start to look at you differently?
3 - Are there areas of your life that need to change? Are you willing to make changes?
4 - How can you stay consistent in being who you are when it might be different than what everyone else is doing?
For a printable PDF of this post, click here: John the Baptist: Lead the Way
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