Man, I’m just hitting the New Testament in my Chronological Bible Study and EVERY TIME I move between Old and New, I get a current favorite. When I’m knee deep in Israel, learning from their examples and growing in David’s advice- I AM OLD TESTAMENT TRUE. I can’t imagine loving any scriptures more than Esther or Ecclesiastes or Nehemiah.
BUT THEN I START THE NEW. And I immerse myself in The Gospel Accounts. Elizabeth. John. Mary and Joseph. The shepherds. Herod. Flight to Egypt. Simeon and Anna and the Lost Jesus of 12 years old. (Mary gives me so much hope as a Mother in this one, BLESS HER HEART.) And as I dive headfirst into Jesus’ Story, I can’t imagine loving anything more and I have to admit anew- I’m a New Testament Girl.
I do this switch every time. IT IS EXHAUSTING.
Bless.
But I stumbled upon a Truth Nugget this morning that blew my mind and warmed my soul about John the Baptist. THAT GUY ROCKED, y’all. His life- his entire purpose- was to point people to Jesus. To guide people. To influence people. Encourage them. To work hard and teach and preach and obey for the sole purpose of and then TURN IT ALL OVER to Jesus. When I think about the love and the confidence and the humility he must have had to allow God’s Perfect Plan to be alive and working in his life in that way- there’s no way I can read his story and not walk away encouraged.
Because I think about what so many times can happen to us in our lives. ESPECIALLY on social media platforms. It’s so easy to quantify our worth based on how people on the internet treat us. Or “like” is. Or “follow” us. I mean, I HAVE DONE IT. Plenty of times! It’s nice when people are nice to you, but when someone is rude or hurtful or doesn’t pick you first for social media’s version of Heads Up Seven Up- IT CAN HURT. Man, it can hurt. Mercy.
But I think about John the Baptist. And I think about what John 1:36-37 says:
“Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and said “Behold, the Lamb of God!” And the two disciples heard him speak, AND THEY FOLLOWED JESUS.”
John the Baptist didn’t care about numbers. He cared about hearts! He cared about pointing people to Jesus- and Jesus’ first converts here didn’t follow Jesus because Jesus called them- THEY WENT BECAUSE JOHN POINTED THEM TO THE TRUTH. I wonder how much humility it took for John the Baptist to push his followers, the group of men he had been training and teaching and working to grow for all those years- to take active steps to acknowledge Jesus as greater than him and to ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO LEAVE HIM AND SEEK CHRIST.
I can tell you this: John wasn’t worried about numbers. About followers. And in our online, social media world of relationships- I am blessed so much more when I point others to experts than when I worry about seeking a following of my own or trying to worry about looking like I know it all.
I mean, DO NOT GET ME WRONG- it is amazing to have a group of friends on socials who support and love and encourage you. THIS IS WHAT I LOVE ABOUT IT. But for me to get the most out of what that Online Blessing can be- I have to make sure I push Pride and Selfishness AS FAR AWAY FROM MY HEART AS POSSIBLE.
There are so many whip smart and wise and amazing people out there and when I don’t know an answer or when I see one of them rocking their Path- I LOVE TO ENCOURAGE THEM. My cup fills so quickly when I’m so busy filling others I forget to check it’s water line. THAT IS WHEN IT OVERFLOWS. Socials can grow narcissists like weeds. I know I’ve had to root out several sprouts in my own heart a time or twelve. But socials can also grow a beautiful garden too. It all depends on what you plant. And for me- I’m working on sowing seeds with humility instead of pride.
And that’s how studying John the Baptist’s story encourages me to point people to others when others have more to give than I do. If there’s a friend who is rocking in an area of her life and she’s on fire with creativity and spunk and is working hard at what God has called her to to- CHEER HER ON instead of sulking quietly or dissecting her efforts. If there is someone out there who ::gasp:: KNOWS MORE THAN YOU- don’t be afraid to point people in their direction!
It’s easy for us to develop Social Media Tunnel Vision and when that happens, I believe so much of the joy and light and encouragement that can be found online fades. And that’s a cryin’ shame y’all. There is enough love to go around IF WE ALL SHARE IT.
I’d rather be a Barnabas than an Ananias any day.
BUT THEN I START THE NEW. And I immerse myself in The Gospel Accounts. Elizabeth. John. Mary and Joseph. The shepherds. Herod. Flight to Egypt. Simeon and Anna and the Lost Jesus of 12 years old. (Mary gives me so much hope as a Mother in this one, BLESS HER HEART.) And as I dive headfirst into Jesus’ Story, I can’t imagine loving anything more and I have to admit anew- I’m a New Testament Girl.
I do this switch every time. IT IS EXHAUSTING.
Bless.
But I stumbled upon a Truth Nugget this morning that blew my mind and warmed my soul about John the Baptist. THAT GUY ROCKED, y’all. His life- his entire purpose- was to point people to Jesus. To guide people. To influence people. Encourage them. To work hard and teach and preach and obey for the sole purpose of and then TURN IT ALL OVER to Jesus. When I think about the love and the confidence and the humility he must have had to allow God’s Perfect Plan to be alive and working in his life in that way- there’s no way I can read his story and not walk away encouraged.
Because I think about what so many times can happen to us in our lives. ESPECIALLY on social media platforms. It’s so easy to quantify our worth based on how people on the internet treat us. Or “like” is. Or “follow” us. I mean, I HAVE DONE IT. Plenty of times! It’s nice when people are nice to you, but when someone is rude or hurtful or doesn’t pick you first for social media’s version of Heads Up Seven Up- IT CAN HURT. Man, it can hurt. Mercy.
But I think about John the Baptist. And I think about what John 1:36-37 says:
“Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and said “Behold, the Lamb of God!” And the two disciples heard him speak, AND THEY FOLLOWED JESUS.”
John the Baptist didn’t care about numbers. He cared about hearts! He cared about pointing people to Jesus- and Jesus’ first converts here didn’t follow Jesus because Jesus called them- THEY WENT BECAUSE JOHN POINTED THEM TO THE TRUTH. I wonder how much humility it took for John the Baptist to push his followers, the group of men he had been training and teaching and working to grow for all those years- to take active steps to acknowledge Jesus as greater than him and to ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO LEAVE HIM AND SEEK CHRIST.
I can tell you this: John wasn’t worried about numbers. About followers. And in our online, social media world of relationships- I am blessed so much more when I point others to experts than when I worry about seeking a following of my own or trying to worry about looking like I know it all.
I mean, DO NOT GET ME WRONG- it is amazing to have a group of friends on socials who support and love and encourage you. THIS IS WHAT I LOVE ABOUT IT. But for me to get the most out of what that Online Blessing can be- I have to make sure I push Pride and Selfishness AS FAR AWAY FROM MY HEART AS POSSIBLE.
There are so many whip smart and wise and amazing people out there and when I don’t know an answer or when I see one of them rocking their Path- I LOVE TO ENCOURAGE THEM. My cup fills so quickly when I’m so busy filling others I forget to check it’s water line. THAT IS WHEN IT OVERFLOWS. Socials can grow narcissists like weeds. I know I’ve had to root out several sprouts in my own heart a time or twelve. But socials can also grow a beautiful garden too. It all depends on what you plant. And for me- I’m working on sowing seeds with humility instead of pride.
And that’s how studying John the Baptist’s story encourages me to point people to others when others have more to give than I do. If there’s a friend who is rocking in an area of her life and she’s on fire with creativity and spunk and is working hard at what God has called her to to- CHEER HER ON instead of sulking quietly or dissecting her efforts. If there is someone out there who ::gasp:: KNOWS MORE THAN YOU- don’t be afraid to point people in their direction!
It’s easy for us to develop Social Media Tunnel Vision and when that happens, I believe so much of the joy and light and encouragement that can be found online fades. And that’s a cryin’ shame y’all. There is enough love to go around IF WE ALL SHARE IT.
I’d rather be a Barnabas than an Ananias any day.
Blessssssss.
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