What is the purpose of life? A 2021 study found that 4 out of 5 people believe that life has a purpose, and 1 in 5 people are so preoccupied with figuring out their purpose, they admit to thinking about it at least once a week. So… what is it? How do we find it? For those who look to the biblical scriptures as an authority in our lives, it turns out, diving into the life and mission of John the Baptist not only shows us John’s purpose, but our own as well. But first…
Who was John the Baptist?
In most Gospels, John simply appears – an eccentric, mountain man, adorned in camel’s hair, chewing on locusts, living in the wilderness. However, because of the Gospel of Luke, we know that he had a father named Zechariah, a mother named Elizabeth, and quite an extraordinary birth experience.
He was bold. He was blunt. He was baptizing people (mostly Jewish people) in the Jordan River, a practice that was completely foreign to the Jewish religious leaders of the day, because the only people baptized in the Jewish tradition were people converting to Judaism. This wild-haired guy is baptizing people that are already Jewish! Ummm… why?!
As you can imagine, the Jewish religious leaders have a major problem with this. So, we see them go out to him in the wilderness and ask him, over and over again, “Who are you?!” meaning “By what authority are you doing this?! Who do you think you are?!”…
And, John the Baptist’s answer is this…
“I am not the Messiah.” ~ John 1:20
“I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’” ~ John 1:23
“[There is] one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” ~ John 1:27
“I baptize with water… but the man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.” ~ John 1:26a,33
John’s answer to anyone who asked was, “It doesn’t matter who I am. It only matters who I’m pointing to.”
1. John the Baptist’s Mission was THIS…
… to reflect light.
There was a man sent from God whose name was John… He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. ~ John 1:6-8
Think back to the very beginning. What is the first thing we see the Lord God create?…
And God said, “Let there be light” and there was light. ~ Genesis 1:3
And then, throughout scripture, we have reference upon reference of how God is Light…
This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. ~ 1 John 1:5
His radiance is like the sunlight; He has rays flashing from His hand, And there is the hiding of His power. ~ Habakkuk 3:4
It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, And the light dwells with Him.” ~ Daniel 2:22
Indeed, one day, there will be a new city, and, as Revelation says…
The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. ~ Revelation 21:23
The Lord God is the light of life, and that light is revealed…
… through His Word, in the beginning… “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3).
… through His “Word made flesh”, “the true light that gives light to everyone”… (John 1:9,14)… the personhood of His Son, Jesus Christ.
The purpose of John the Baptist’s life was to be a reflection of the light.
Just think of John the Baptist as the moon, ok?
What does the moon do? What purpose does the moon have in our world?…
Its purpose is to reflect the light of the sun. That’s what makes the moon beautiful. That’s what makes the moon glorious in the dark of night – the light of the sun reflecting off of it.
Indeed, without the sun, the moon is just a rock… and, to be honest, not a pretty one. It’s gray and blah, with craters all over it. It’s nothing special by itself. What makes the moon extraordinary is not what it is but what it is reflecting. Likewise…
… there was nothing special about John the Baptist.
He knew it. He admitted it. He was a “nobody” in the grand scheme of things. What made John extraordinary was who he was reflecting… who he was pointing to…
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” ~ John 1:29
Here’s the question for YOU today…
Do you feel like you’re living an inconsequential life?…
Do you feel as if your life has no purpose? No meaning? No significance?
If so, you’re not the only one. In these last months, it has struck me how many people feel that their life is unimportant… How many people feel that they have nothing to offer to the world, nothing to live for…
You could say, so many people feel that they are the moon… “What am I in this world? There’s nothing special about me. There’s nothing worthwhile about me. I’m just this blip… this tiny dot in the universe… this big, ugly rock, with craters all over me… just jagged, broken pieces…
“What am I even doing here? What do I matter?”… (Have you ever felt these things?)
And yet, here’s what the book of Ephesians says about you…
For [you] are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for [you] to do. ~ Ephesians 2:10
I want you to hear me strongly today, friend… (Read these words over and over again, if you have to…)
Your life has purpose.
You were knit together, in advance, for that purpose. Indeed, it’s not just a purpose. It’s bigger than that. Your life has a mission, and…
2. Your Mission is THIS…
… to reflect light.
We were created by the God of Light.
We were made “in His image and likeness” (Genesis 1:26-27).
We fell. We messed up. We started to reflect the world, instead of Him.
We live in a world that doesn’t recognize Him, a world that is grasping for meaning and purpose in this life.
We are called to return to Him, to find our fulfillment in Him, to reflect Him.
As Jesus encouraged his disciples, and all those who follow Him…
I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. ~ John 8:12
He is like the sun, and you and me…? As Jesus says…
You are the light of the world… In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. ~ Matthew 5:14,16
Be the moon, friends.
As you follow the Lord God and seek to live in His ways, you have the ability to point people to Him – through your words, through your generosity, through your actions, through your love…
We have got to take our job, as believers, seriously. We are light-bearers. We are called to be reflections of His light. We have got to bounce God’s light off of us and into the world.
We have got to put some light here, because people are missing Him…
People need light. People need hope, and you have the power to give it to them.
With a word of encouragement…
With an act of kindness…
With a step of faith…
With a token of love…
With a generous heart…
With a patient demeanor…
With a listening ear…
May we seek out how to shine light into dark places this week.
John the Baptist was nothing special. Indeed, his mission is the mission of us all. … Be the light to the world, as we reflect the light of Him.
Written by Danielle Walker
For more on this topic, watch: God of Light: John The Baptist, The Gospel Of John, And King Tut’s Dad
Also, watch: John the Baptist: Being a “Nobody” in a “Somebody” World
For a time of reflection, listen to: Chris Tomlin’s “Be The Moon”
These are wonderfully encouraging words!
I’m so glad!! We can make following Jesus so complicated, when we really just need to be focused on reflecting His light to those around us. <3
Danielle, as always, your words bring such“enlighten
ment” to us. I am so loving your gift of these devotions. The only thing missing is you;I love you! Anne Maynard
Anne, my goodness, I miss you, too! I love you so very much. You are such a LIGHT in the world.