By Mike Caton

John 1:23 – John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’ ”

When we are asked who we are, what we say about ourselves, what is our answer? I know there can be many correct answers to that question. I am a man, a husband, a father, a son, an uncle, a nephew, a volunteer firefighter, an EMT, a friend, a Christian, a preacher, a teacher and that list can go on and on. I suppose we could all spend an hour or more thinking about all the ways we could describe ourselves. And honestly, some of the ways we are identified would not be good; sinner, worried, we might name a disease we have, a sin we struggle with, some debt we are in, and so forth. But who are we, really? Are we going to allow any of those things to define us? They certainly are parts of who we are, but which part will we allow to win?

John said he was just a voice crying out in the wilderness, one calling for people to make way for the Lord. In all of the many things that we do, where do we see our relationship to the Lord? And how do we see that relationship? I cannot imagine John puffing his chest out as he said these words. John knew he was simply a servant, someone God had given a job to. And John was busy doing that job.

Do we see our role as a messenger, a harbinger of the good news, of the Messiah? Do we make the most of the opportunities that we have to speak up about Jesus? Do we love people as God loves them? Do we share the good news with them? Do we offer to pray for them? Do we invite them to Jesus? John was truly a servant of God, he would later say, he must become greater and I will become less. We need that attitude, we need to do all we can to exalt Jesus and not ourselves. As Casting Crowns sing, I’m just a nobody trying to tell everybody all about Somebody who saved my soul.

Father, help me be your voice. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Mike Caton is the preacher at Mount Olive Church of Christ in Belhaven. He volunteers at the Ponzer Fire Department and works part time with Hyde County EMS. If you would like to receive daily devotions in your inbox, email mikecaton@centurylink.net.

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