Daily Wisdom

Preparing the Way – Matthew 3:3-4

Key Passage

John the Baptizer is the one that Isaiah the prophet was talking about. Isaiah said: "There is a person shouting in the desert: 'Prepare the way for the Lord. Make his paths straight.'" John's clothes were made from camel's hair. John had a leather belt around his waist. For food, John ate locusts and wild honey.

— Matthew 3:3-4 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought

Preparation is hard work. To be the one who prepares the way for someone else’s travel, but doesn't get to go down that road, well, that is even tougher. To live all your life so someone else can find the spotlight is toughest of all. But to lose your life in this cause, goes beyond words. John spent his life for one purpose: to prepare people to know Jesus as God's Son, the Christ. Can our purpose in life be any less? What would happen if we decided to begin each day with the commitment that we would live, talk, act, and care for people with the express purpose that their hearts become prepared to acknowledge Jesus as Lord? So let's find out, beginning today!

Prayer

Loving and patient Father, I'm a little slow sometimes to catch on to what you want me to do. But, I know you want me to live my life with the same purpose John lived his: to help prepare people to know Jesus as Lord. Give me eyes to see those searching for Jesus and a life that beckons them to follow him. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Related Scriptures

John answered, "A man can get only what God gives him. You yourselves heard me say, 'I am not the Christ. I am only the one that God sent to prepare the way for him.' The bride always belongs to the bridegroom. The friend that helps the bridegroom just waits and listens. He's happy just to hear the bridegroom talk. That's how I feel now. I'm so happy that he (Jesus) is here. He must become more and more important. And I must become less important.
John 3:27-30

Ahaziah said to the messengers, "What did the man look like who met you and told you these things?" The messengers answered Ahaziah, "This man was wearing a hairy coat with a leather belt around his waist." Then Ahaziah said, "That was Elijah the Tishbite!"
2 Kings 1:7-8

The Lord All-Powerful says, "I am sending my messenger to prepare the way for me. Then suddenly, the Master you are looking for will come to his temple. Yes, the messenger of the {New} Agreement that you want really is coming! "No person can prepare for that time. No person can stand against him when he comes. He will be like a burning fire. He will be like the strong soap people use to make things clean. He will make the Levites clean. He will make them pure, like silver is made pure—with fire! He will make them pure like gold and silver. Then they will bring gifts to the Lord—and they will do those things the right way. Then the Lord will accept the gifts from Judah and Jerusalem. It will be like in the past. It will be like the time long ago.
Malachi 3:1-4

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