His wardrobe was a throwback to yesteryear. He looked like someone who just crawled out of the desert. Come to think of it, he actually had. He had on an outfit made of camel hair with a belt around his waist. And the things he said - he wasn’t about being politically correct. He said what he felt called to say no matter whom it offended. He had no problem calling truth what it was. Ultimately, it cost him his life. However, as you look at the life of John the Baptist, you see someone who was called. I mean you don’t say and do some of the things he did and not feel called by God. How did he do it? Here are two ways John lived his life as a man called by God that can be instructive for us.
- He submitted to God’s ways, God’s methods, and God’s criteria for success.
I’m am sure that when John was growing up as the only son of the priest Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth, he didn’t aspire to living in the desert and dressing like the prophets of old. I’m sure his mom and dad told him the story of his miraculous conception and birth and of his special calling. However, I’m not sure spending time in the wilderness and eating locusts and honey was what he had in mind. But because he recognized God’s calling in his life, the method of living out that calling wasn’t as important to John as was fulfilling that calling.
And so he finds himself in the desert and later standing by the Jordan River calling people to repentance and inviting them to be baptized. Then he baptizes his cousin Jesus whom is revealed as the long awaited Messiah, the One whom John had been prophesying of. John seemingly completed his mission that day standing in the river. However, John continues to proclaim repentance, getting in hot water with the king, who throws him into prison. By this time, many of John’s disciples had left him and started to follow Jesus. Except for a faithful few, he is left abandoned and is ultimately beheaded.
To all observers, John was seemingly a failure in his calling. He lost almost all his disciples, he lost his ministry, and he spent his final days languishing in prison. But to John, he had submitted his life to God, allowed God to show him the methods he was to use, and allowed the Eternal Judge to determine his success. I think it is safe to say that John, who spoke those words, “He must increase and I must decrease,” was a success in the eyes of the Father. To his fellow humans, he was a failure, but to God, he was the greatest prophet ever called.
What about you? Are you doing things your way or God’s way? Are you using your methods or His methods? Are you looking at your success through your eyes or the eyes of others or are you looking through the eyes of your Heavenly Father who has called you?
- John wholly depended upon God.
How do you live in a desert and not wholly depend upon God? I’m not sure how you say some of the things John said and not wholly depend on God? How can you say, let alone live out, “He must increase and I must decrease” if you don’t depend on God? I’m not sure how you can languish in prison and not fully depend on God. Through his entire life, John wholly depended upon God. When times were good or when times were tough, John both knew Who called him and believed that He who called him would get him through.
What about you? Do you depend more upon yourself than on God? Have you totally surrendered your entire life to God so He can more fully work out His calling in your life?
If you truly live your life submitting to God’s ways, God’s methods, and God’s criteria for success and live a life totally dependent on God, you will live as a called man.
Conversation:
- What do you have the most difficult time doing: submitting to God’s ways, submitting to God’s methods, or submitting to God’s view of success?
- What areas in your life have you not surrendered to God so you can wholly depend on Him?
Recommended Book
Few spiritual concepts have fascinated and confused people more than understanding God’s calling for their life. Is it primarily about a job or a role? It is precise or general? Is a calling only reserved for those who work in professional ministry?
The truth is actually amazingly profound: What we are supposed to do is what we most want to do.
This is a guide for discovering God’s design and destiny for your life. Drawing from over 20 years of experience in ministry, Gary Barkalow shares how you can:
Live alert and oriented to the voice and choreography of God.
Discover and interpret the voice of your own story.
Discern the strategic assault against your calling.
Recognize God’s intentional training in your life’s journey.
Most of all, you’ll be inspired to let the glory of your life touch the world around you.