John the "wild one".

"Later, John the Baptizer appeared in the desert of Judea. His message was, "Turn to God and change the way you think and act, because the kingdom of heaven is near." Isaiah the prophet spoke about this man when he said, "A voice cries out in the desert: 'Prepare the way for the Lord! Make his paths straight!'" John wore clothes made from camel's hair and had a leather belt around his waist. His diet consisted of locusts and wild honey. Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole Jordan Valley went to him. As they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River." Matthew 3:1-6

What I find amazing about John the Baptist is that he was obviously a strange man who refused to be a part of the religious system. He hung out outside the towns, wore strange clothes, ate weird food, and told people to repent and change their ways. To hear his message...people had to find him! What was it that drew them?

We don't talk about sin much these days. We are so bombarded with stuff from the world that we have allowed ourselves to think that looking, speaking, or even doing things that we know should not be part of our character, is just the way it is and it's no big deal to allow it in to our lives. I think that's what drew people to John...they were tired of the sin in their lives and wanted more out of life. They wanted to change and searched the one out that encouraged them to really change and be a part of something much more real than their religious system or their religious leaders provided. It was a heart change...a way to become what God had created them to be. To be more like Him.

In the past 30 and more years, we have seen so many religious leaders fall because of great sin in their lives. We have seen ourselves fall because of sin in our lives...because some of us really refuse to truly repent. To really turn from our sins.

God loves us so much that He sent Jesus to save us from our sins. Not only our sins, but the sins of the whole world. May we hear the message of John the Baptist...the message he spoke to the religious ones! May God send more people like John to the church and bring us a new understanding of what it means to repent and what it means to follow Jesus.