20 Oct Preparing the Way

I feel challenged when I read about John the Baptist. This was a very radical man, whose speaking shook and challenged the people. His birth was prophesied (Luke 1:8-17), and his role given before he was born! This was a man that religious leaders of the day surely would have raised up, trained, and invited to speak in the temple. He would have been a great teacher; he was anointed by the Lord to preach. But that didn’t happen. He spent his time in the wilderness. He was a man on fire for God.

Yet when he was questioned about who he was, he simply said that he was a voice in the wilderness (John 1:23). He was sent to prepare the way. He was sent as a beacon to point the people’s hearts toward Jesus, the Messiah. When Jesus spoke of him, He said that there was no greater prophet born of a woman, than John (Luke 7:28). Yet John did not even consider himself worthy enough to untie Jesus’ sandals (Luke 3:16). John was submitted and surrendered to the Lord and through that he carried out the calling placed on his life. He was at a point where he would not do anything that would come close to taking glory from God. He even ‘handed’ over his ministry to Jesus, saying he must decrease so that Christ may increase (John 3:30).

In the end, our lives in ministry should take inspiration from John’s life. Being a sign post to the One who is greater, the One who actually can set people free. Pointing to Jesus, who died to save us and longs for relationship with us. If our ministries are ever about building ourselves up, then we have gotten it wrong somewhere.

(Kaare T is a wonderful human being. Recent wonderful acts may or may not include sharing half an apple pie with me and climbing Mount Everest. Thank you for not smoking!)