John 1:6-8




'God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light.'
John was determined to help people see that Jesus, and only Jesus, is the light of the world. He himself had a really important part to play, but he wasn’t the light. He simply prepared people to meet with Jesus. If you are looking for something or someone to point you towards God, you need to make sure that you are looking in the right place. John wanted his readers to make sure that they are only looking for life’s meaning and purpose in Jesus.
I love traditional stories and there is one from the Middle East that I have always loved. It tells of a man hunting for something on a dusty road. A stranger approached him and asked what he was looking for. “I’m looking for my key,” replied the man. “Where did you lose it?” asked the stranger. “Oh,” the man replied: “In my house.” The stranger looked puzzled and asked: “So if you lost it in your house, why are you looking for it here, in the middle of the road?” The man replied: “Because there is more light out here.” I love that story because it’s crazy, but also because it sums up what is happening in our society today. There is no question that people want to find meaning and purpose for their lives, but they are looking in the wrong place. They need to look to Jesus if they want to find the true light that he came to bring.




The role of John the Baptist was crucial; his specific task was not to draw attention to himself but to point to Jesus. John couldn’t save people from their sins or give them eternal life. But he knew a man who could, and his ministry was focused on helping people to meet and follow Jesus. Our role is similar. We are never called to draw attention to ourselves, as if we have the answers to people’s needs. Our task is to point to Jesus so that they can find new life in him.




Question: Where do you think people look to find meaning and purpose in their lives?
Prayer: Lord God, I thank you for all those people who have helped me to meet Jesus. Help me to be faithful in helping others to follow him. Amen

Released on 6 Jul 2022