NOTE: Over the next few weeks I’ll be walking through the Book of Matthew. Because I’ve undoubtedly touched upon the Birth of Christ in Matthew (possibly several times), I’ll begin at chapter 3.

In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” 3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”

4 John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. Matthew 3:4-6

John the Baptist was probably the most politically incorrect person you’d never want to meet. He did some unusual things, ate unusual things, dressed unusually, and was the very definition of “social outcast.” He was Jesus’ relative (Luke 1:36) and that he was filled with the Holy Spirit before he was born (Luke 1:15), but we know little else about him.

John preached to any who would hear. He probably didn’t have a lot of sermons because his message seemed to be “Repent!” The people who heard his message were not confused about his message. He didn’t send mixed messages in the least. These people had one take-away from what he said: Repent.

John the Baptist had an unusual call on his life, one that few would be willing to accept. We don’t know what it took to get him to this point, but he had embraced the calling completely.

And people repented.

He had the Spirit of God on him to do what most men would shy away from.

You don’t meet too many Christians like this in your life, but they are out there. They are radical, unorthodox, and filled with the Spirit of God. Just because they don’t dress or talk like we do doesn’t mean they aren’t men and women of God.

Christian motorcycle clubs come to mind. They have a different calling in their lives, to reach people you and I could never reach.

Likewise, they could never reach the people you and I associate with either.