Have you ever been asked why you’re different from other people?
John the Baptist was questioned about why he was different.
He was doing very strange and unexpected things, even for his day. When
questioned about who he was and why he was doing what he was doing, he made
sure others knew he wasn’t (and didn’t claim to be) the Messiah.
John 1:19-28 19Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent
priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20He did not fail
to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ." 21They
asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?"He said, "I am
not." "Are you the Prophet?" He answered, "No." 22Finally
they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent
us. What do you say about yourself?" 23John [the
Baptist] replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of
one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.' " 24Now
some Pharisees who had been sent 25questioned him, "Why
then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"
26"I baptize with water," John replied, "but
among you stands one you do not know. 27He is the one who
comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie." 28This
all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was
baptizing.
John also took the focus off himself and pointed to Christ.
As I thought about that, I wondered how well I do the same. In a
conversation in the lunchroom (pre-pandemic), I was asked something about why I
always seem positive and happy. I responded, saying I pray about having a
good attitude. However, that response focused more on myself and what I
was doing than on Christ. I could have been more specific and said it was
because of my relationship with Jesus Christ and His influence in my life.
What about you? How do you respond when asked why
you’re different, happy, pleasant, friendly, positive, etc.? Do you blow
it off, point out how you try to be positive, or point to Jesus?
Let’s
conscientiously point others to Jesus, the true source of all joy!
