Why Am I Doing This?

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oday’s Tidbit is rather short and to the point.  It’s not because I have waited until the last minute to type it, it’s not because I don’t have something to write about, nor is it due to the fact that I have depleted stories from my life experiences. Believe me; none of these conditions is true. I have an open Bible in front of me and as long as I am able to read, I believe there will be ample material to draw upon for many Tidbits yet to come.  As for experience, I find each day filled with more lessons and experiences than I could ever hope to write about.

It’s just that this morning, I feel very compelled to address a short passage of scripture from the book of John.  It is a passage I have read over and over again, but this time it really spoke to my heart.  It’s not about John’s preaching, it’s not about his baptizing, and it’s not about his role as the forerunner of the Messiah.  Instead, it demonstrates John’s faithfulness as a servant and the purpose of his ministry, a purpose he didn’t seem to realize until Jesus came to him to be baptized.

In John 1:31, John the Baptist makes a very startling statement.  I say startling because we have, in some respects, idolized the Baptist.  Day in and day out John stood in the Jordan River pushing people under the water, baptizing them in preparation for the coming of the Messiah.  If you take a close look at John’s words in this passage, you will see something very interesting as it applies to our walk with the Lord. “I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.

Like the other people of his day, John did not have first-hand knowledge of the Messiah’s identity.  He did not know that his cousin, Jesus of Nazareth, was in fact God’s son.  But this did not deter John from his ministry or from obeying the call God placed on his life.  Unlike the other religious leaders of his day who believed they were expert in who the Messiah would be, John made no such claims.  Instead of flaunting his religious credentials, instead of arguing over how ministry should be done, John just remained faithful to his call. 

On more than one occasion I’m sure he asked, “Why am I doing this?”  We’ve all been there, haven’t we?  We wonder why God allows certain events, situations, and people to enter our lives.  We want to know how they can possibly prepare us for service, and we grow impatient, just waiting on the day when God calls us to do something really big and great for him.  But look at John. This is the man whom Jesus described as the greatest of all those born of woman.  Here he is, dressed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt, eating locusts and wild honey.

But when Jesus came to John, everything became clear.  When John realized who Jesus was, when he looked into his eyes, when he touched his shoulders, when he put Jesus in the water, and when he saw the dove descend, John knew, he knew for certain, who Jesus was and why he had been called to this place of service.  John himself says that he was called to baptize people so that Jesus would be revealed.

Is that our claim today?  Are we content to faithfully serve God so that Jesus Christ can be revealed?  On our jobs, in our homes, with our families, and with our friends, are we conducting ourselves in such a way that Jesus Christ is being revealed?  We may not know why we are called to a particular place of service and we may not understand all the reasons God has for placing us there; but we must remain faithful to the task at hand so that Jesus will be revealed.  This is all that matters in the Christian life.  Does your service reveal Jesus Christ today?