The Responsibility to Prepare

"As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, 'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,' John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, 'After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.' " Mark 1:2-7

John is an interesting person. John was so focused on preparing the way for Jesus, he obviously didn't put a lot of stock in nice tunics and robes. He wore camel's hair and a belt to cover himself, and that was it. Some people would have a problem with this lack of concern for a man of God's outward appearance.

Truthfully, you could have frizzy hair on the fritz, mismatched socks, and overalls, and all that would truly matter is whether you were preparing the way. Jesus is coming again, and the responsibility of every God-lover now is to prepare the way for the second coming: tell the world the Gospel! God-lovers, stop focusing on the presentation, but rather start screaming the message for the world to hear! Prepare the way. Prepare the world. That's our responsibility now.

---Joy