People who are cut from a different mold, people who dance to a different tune, people who just seem to not fit in usually intrigue me. John the Baptist was one of those people who definitely danced to a whole different tune than the people of his day. Listen to how the Word describes him in Matthew 3: 4: “Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.” In addition to all that, he lived in the desert of Judea. I could understand eating honey, but locusts—NO WAY!! Can you imagine what this dude looked like? He was dusty and grimy from living in the desert. The camel hair tunic was not a pretty site and it likely smelled pretty badly. He probably had a wild and untamed mane of hair that was also full of dust. He stood on the road shouting “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” I’m telling you he was not Forbes magazine’s “Man of the Year” material.
John was different, yet he was born for a distinct purpose. His life’s only purpose was to announce the arrival of the Messiah. For all the ways that John was unique and different, there was at least one way that he was very much like you and me. Let’s take a look inside the man for a moment and see fear and discouragement and disappointment. Let’s see ourselves in John!
In Matthew 11 we find John imprisoned for doing exactly what he was born to do—preaching repentance and the impending kingdom of God. From our perspective on this side of the cross, we know that John would soon be beheaded for doing what he was sent to do. Yet in Matthew 11: 2-15, we find John the Wild Man becoming John the Discouraged and Confused. Jesus was out among the people doing what John had been doing up until his imprisonment. This was a strange turn of events, to say the least. Perhaps John thought that the Messiah should be taking over the world and destroying evil, yet here was the man whom he had lauded as the Messiah going about preaching and teaching, while John was sitting in a Roman prison awaiting execution.
John sends two disciples to Jesus to ask, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” You see, John couldn’t see the forest for the trees; he was neck deep in trouble and couldn’t see how God’s plan would work out. All He could think of was, “Did I misunderstand? Did I miss my calling? Was I confused about who Messiah was? If you are truly Messiah, why am I rotting in this Roman prison? Would you please do something about my situation because I am the one who was responsible for all those people knowing that you were coming?
Do you find yourself identifying with John? Have you ever been confused about what Jesus wanted from you? Have you ever found yourself doubting your calling? Have you ever experienced disappointment with Jesus and the things He allows in your life? When things don’t work out the way YOU had planned, do you find yourself bitter toward the Lord? Are there times that you would just like to shout, “Why don’t you do something about this, Lord?
I very much can identify with John the Baptist at times. Perhaps even right now as my Mother is dealing with many significant medical problems, I sense an underlying “Why, Lord?” in my spirit. Then I remember what Charles Spurgeon said and I am comforted and my faith in God is renewed. Perhaps you need to hear these words as well:
God is too good to be unkind,
He is too wise to be mistaken;
When you cannot trace His Hand,
You can always trust His heart!
