The Precursor
In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying. “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near. This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah.
“A voice of one calling in the desert
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”
John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.” Matthew 3:1-4
I love John the Baptist. I went to his school SJBA, St John the Baptist Academy. Our yearbook was called the Precursor. Though I went there for 12 years, I was out of high school before I understood the significance of that name. It was one of those lightbulb moments “OH! I get it.” It isn’t however his title, Precursor, or the fact that I attended a school named after him that makes me love John the Baptist. It is his complete disregard of the opinions of those around him.
He wore animal skins and allowed his hair to do whatever it pleased. He slept on the sand and ate locust and wild honey. He was the original Survivor candidate but I can only imagine the strong words he’d have for those people. John didn’t have much time for anyone of low moral character.
What about his mother? What did she think of her wild eyed boy? Here he was, the son she’d long since decided was never to be. The son she waited and prayed for year after fruitless year. He spent his life raging at the religious and political leaders, causing everyone to call him crazy. My guess is she couldn’t have been prouder. She understood his mission.
John was the lead guy, the first act. He was warming people up for his cousin. Over and over he told them to repent, to get ready. For the most part they didn’t listen. Most people laughed at him, shook their heads calling him odd. Poor demented soul, spends too much time in the sun, I suppose they thought. But John was committed. Nothing was going to deter him from getting that word out there. He wanted everyone to have open eyes, ears and hearts when the Messiah arrived. The lucky few who listened were ready and waiting when Jesus appeared on the scene. Some people never got it.
John’s life ended because of the lack of understanding of two very selfish women and one very weak man. (Matthew 14:1-12) The people who brought about his death were afraid of John. His teaching meant their lives would have to be drastically changed. They didn’t want to hear what he had to say. Still he risked his life to say it. Jesus and John may or may not have spent much time together as children. We don’t know. We do know that the two men were a lot alike as adults. They spoke the truth whether the people around them wanted to hear it or not.
“A voice of one calling in the desert
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”
John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.” Matthew 3:1-4
I love John the Baptist. I went to his school SJBA, St John the Baptist Academy. Our yearbook was called the Precursor. Though I went there for 12 years, I was out of high school before I understood the significance of that name. It was one of those lightbulb moments “OH! I get it.” It isn’t however his title, Precursor, or the fact that I attended a school named after him that makes me love John the Baptist. It is his complete disregard of the opinions of those around him.
He wore animal skins and allowed his hair to do whatever it pleased. He slept on the sand and ate locust and wild honey. He was the original Survivor candidate but I can only imagine the strong words he’d have for those people. John didn’t have much time for anyone of low moral character.
What about his mother? What did she think of her wild eyed boy? Here he was, the son she’d long since decided was never to be. The son she waited and prayed for year after fruitless year. He spent his life raging at the religious and political leaders, causing everyone to call him crazy. My guess is she couldn’t have been prouder. She understood his mission.
John was the lead guy, the first act. He was warming people up for his cousin. Over and over he told them to repent, to get ready. For the most part they didn’t listen. Most people laughed at him, shook their heads calling him odd. Poor demented soul, spends too much time in the sun, I suppose they thought. But John was committed. Nothing was going to deter him from getting that word out there. He wanted everyone to have open eyes, ears and hearts when the Messiah arrived. The lucky few who listened were ready and waiting when Jesus appeared on the scene. Some people never got it.
John’s life ended because of the lack of understanding of two very selfish women and one very weak man. (Matthew 14:1-12) The people who brought about his death were afraid of John. His teaching meant their lives would have to be drastically changed. They didn’t want to hear what he had to say. Still he risked his life to say it. Jesus and John may or may not have spent much time together as children. We don’t know. We do know that the two men were a lot alike as adults. They spoke the truth whether the people around them wanted to hear it or not.
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