pointing light

What keeps you going?  What is it that makes you not stop doing the right thing or pushing through to the end?  What makes your motor start, rev up and keep on?  I’m talking about your internal motor, the one that is your heart and drive to live and share life.

There are lots of answers to this question.  Some are good.  Some are horrible.  Yet your answer is your answer.  It is right for you and maybe just for you.  Observe it a little deeper if what is pressing you on is not about you and not for your glory and serves other people, then your passion or drive is most likely the strongest in all the world.

The Gospel of John is truly from the heart of God.  It was penned by one of the disciples.  God changed his life.  One of the things that hits me through the chapters of the book is how this disciple was puzzled by the God’s love for Him.  He called himself “the disciple that Jesus loved.  I am too.  I am puzzled by God’s love for me. 

The first chapter of John introduces us to Jesus and to John the Baptist.  John the Baptist was different.  John was driven.  John was convinced.  John answered questions.  John realized it wasn't about him.  Over and over he demonstrated the fact that God’s purpose surrounds the life we know here on earth.

We, like John, must realize that life it is not about us.  He was confronted by the religious leaders of the day because what he did and how confident he was made people think he might be the Messiah or a prophet come back to life.  John said many times that he was simply pointing the way to Jesus.  John was an pointing light.

Luke 1:16-17 NLT

And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God.  He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah.  He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord.  He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.”

That’s what John the Baptist’s father was told before his son was born.  What John knew was that he was to point to Jesus all the time and not point to himself.

Matthew 5:16  NLT

In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

2 Corinthians 4:6  NASB

For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

John knew his purpose as we can know our purpose.  His was to point people to Jesus.  I define an pointing light as something that is intentionally set on a target and to draw attention to what it was pointed at.  John understood that was his purpose.  He was to point people to Jesus.

The Bible tells us that John the Baptist was a different find of guy.  He was weird.  He stayed out in the wilderness.  He ate bugs and things like locust.  He dressed differently.  All the while John was confident in what he did and what he shared.  John wasn’t ashamed.

Romans 1:16  NLT

For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.

I pray that we will learn to not be ashamed and to be pointing lights directing people toward Jesus with all that we are, all that we say and all that we do.