by Angela Moreno

John the Baptist was not your typical man. If we were to run into him today, we would probably steer clear of him. We would think he was a homeless person talking about crazy things we don’t understand. John definitely would have looked the part. His clothes were made of camel hair, and he ate locusts and wild honey. The wilderness was his home.

Even though John seemed like an unusual person, even during his time period, people flocked to him to learn more about the appearance of the Messiah. The son of a priest, John could have followed in his father’s footsteps and served God in the royal robes of the Pharisees and Sadducees. He instead chose to humble himself and to preach and reprimand every person regardless of their social status.

The Pharisees and Sadducees were like royalty to the Jewish people. They wore fine garments and were greatly revered and feared by the Jewish people. If a person did not follow Jewish law, the Pharisees and Sadducees were the ones who dealt the punishment.

John was not afraid to tell the Pharisees and Sadducees that they too were wrong and needed to repent.  Matthew 3:7-8:  But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.”

Who was John to talk to them in such a manner? He went on to challenge them even further.  Matthew 3:10-11: “Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

John challenging the Pharisees and Sadducees was not a normal every day occurrence. Remember the Jews revered and feared them. They were supposed to represent everything that was Godly and everything that the Jewish people were supposed to do to earn the favor of God. John had publicly rebuked them just as Jesus would do during His ministry.

John had many characteristics that we should be willing to take on to further the Kingdom of God:

1. John knew scripture. We cannot rebuke lies and the enemy if we do not know the truth.  John knew the truth and recognized Jesus for who He was when He saw Him
2. John knew God. Because John knew God, he easily recognized the discrepancies between how God wanted us to be and how the Pharisees and Sadducees behaved.
3. John was an engaging speaker and spoke with boldness. Because of his knowledge of scripture and because he knew God, John was able to speak the truth to crowds of people and convince them that they needed to repent and await their coming Messiah.
4. John was selfless. He gave up comforts to preach and lived in the wilderness. John was the son of a priest and as such, could have easily became a priest himself and lived a comfortable life in the temples of God.
5. John did not want attention and praise. He wanted people to look to Jesus as their savior. He often told people that he was not worthy to untie the straps of the sandals of Jesus (Luke 3:16).

Even King Herod heard of the boldness of John. Because King Herod had married the wife of his brother, John rebuked the King and was not afraid to tell him he was wrong. This boldness would eventually cost John his life when the King’s wife decided that she didn’t like John speaking so boldly about her.

What can we learn from John? Our reward is not on this earth; it is in Heaven with our Savior Jesus. We must speak up for what is Godly, right, and just. This must be done without fear and with boldness for the truth of God. We must recognize our Savior in every day things. He’s around us all the time. Like John, we should know Him on sight without a doubt.

What characteristics do you want to be known for?  Take some time to make a list of what you want others to see in you. Find a scripture to go along with that characteristic and post your list in a place that you will see it every day to remind you of who you want to be.

Just like John the Baptist, we must make a difference on the earth and promote the coming of our Messiah.