Key Thought

The Super Bowl has come and gone for another year. If you're interested in football, you might remember several key plays about this year's game. What I find interesting, however, is that invariably the outcome of the Super Bowl, along with other key games, is often dependent upon the guys who are frequently overlooked -- the men in the trenches, the offensive and defensive linemen. Most coaches suggest that turnovers and skill position people are crucial to a victory. While that may be true, the outcome of the game is usually determined by the players whose work is seldom discussed unless they mess up. John was one of those men in the trenches. He could have kept a huge following for himself. He was immensely popular. Instead, John kept his integrity and didn't change his message for anyone, including an adulterous king. John stuck to his purpose, pointing others to Jesus and away from himself. Jesus emphasized that this sort of servant is the greatest kind of person in his Kingdom. Jesus said this kind of servant is also the greatest kind of person we can be!

Today's Prayer

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Father, make me a servant. I want to live knowing that I am pleasing you and honoring Jesus. If folks can't remember me, but they know Jesus because I've touched their lives, then make their praise of your Son satisfaction enough for me. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Today's Verses in Context

The people asked John, "What should we do?" John answered, "If you have two shirts, share with the person that does not have one. If you have food, share that too." Even the tax collectors came to John. They wanted to be baptized. They said to John, "Teacher, what should we do?" John said to them, "Don't take more taxes from people than you have been ordered to take." The soldiers asked John, "What about us? What should we do?" John said to them, "Don't use force or lies to make people give you money. Be happy with the pay you get." All the people were hoping {for the Christ to come}, and they wondered about John. They thought, "Maybe he is the Christ." John answered everyone, "I baptize you in water, but there is a person coming later who can do more than I can. I am not good enough to untie his shoes for him. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. He will come ready to clean the grain. He will separate the good grain from the straw. He will put the good part of the grain into his barn. Then he will burn the part that is not good. He will burn it with a fire that cannot be stopped." And John continued to tell the Good News, saying many other things to help the people. (John criticized Governor Herod. John criticized Herod for the bad thing he did with Herodias, the wife of Herod's brother. John also criticized Herod for the many other bad things Herod did. So Herod did another bad thing: He put John in jail. This was added to all the other bad things Herod did.)

— Luke 3:10-20 (ERV)

Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. All rights reserved.