The Voice
30 Days in John - day two
John the Baptist had already been introduced in the prologue, but now he steps into view. That sounds odd, because public attention was never something John pursued. Even when pressed to explain himself, or promote himself, he refused.
The Apostle John is deliberate in how he describes John the Baptist’s response to the question, “Who are you?” He writes, “He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed…” That language is striking, because we expect a confession to be an assertion. Instead, what John offered were denials: I am not the Christ. I am not Elijah. I am not the Prophet.
The questioning persisted. “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” The persistence of the questioning, and the fact that it came from men in positions of power, shows the impact John was having.
Still, he didn’t see himself as significant or worthy of such attention.
John wasn’t pursuing fame, though he became famous. He wasn’t trying to gain a following, though he had followers. He wasn’t seeking adulation, though Jesus later described him as one of the greatest men who ever lived.
In his own view, John was just a voice. What mattered was that the message be heard; not that the messenger be praised, promoted, or protected.
John’s goal was not to gather followers for himself, but to direct people to Jesus. In that, he succeeded. One of John’s disciples, Andrew, left him to follow Jesus. He in turn recruited his brother Peter.
And then, John the Baptist largely disappears from the scene. He will come into view again, but his prominence is here at the beginning and then Jesus takes over. John the Baptist sets the stage for Jesus to become the central figure.
This is as it should always be in the work of God.
There is only one John the Baptist. His role in redemptive history was unique and special. We aren’t John. But we can learn from John. We can be reminded that our motives should not be to make ourselves famous, to promote ourselves, and to be the center of attention.
This doesn’t mean we should hide and say nothing at all. Instead, it means that as much as possible, we should be content to be a voice that calls others to follow Jesus. We should be like signposts - clear, steady, and always pointing to Christ.
Lord let me be a voice that points people in my life to Jesus. And forgive me when I fail to do that.