A call to right living

There are three things I am going to talk about from this post and I want you to take those three things and just run with it and try to implement them into your lives as quickly as possible.

In Luke 3, John the Baptist is giving a message that is preparing people for the way for Jesus. 

"A voice of one calling in the wilderness,

'Prepare the way for the Lord,

make straight paths for him.

Every valley shall be filled in,

every mountain and hill made low.

The crooked roads shall become straight, 

the rough ways smooth.

And all people will see God's salvation.'" (Luke 3:4-6)

"John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire." (Luke 3:7-9)

John had little to no time to address comforting messages to those who lived carless or selfish lives - he was calling the people to right living as he prepared the way for their Messiah.

It's like a kid learning how to ride a bike without training wheels vs. a kid who learns with...

It takes way longer for the kid to learn how to ride without training wheels...some people are like that in the way that they live their lives. Hopefully they get where they want to go, but they don't want any help so it's going to take longer for them. Maybe they learn someday, maybe they don't.

A kid with training wheels can learn almost instantly because he is being helped. The kid still might crash a couple times, but will learn way faster because of the training wheels. 

I feel like this example relates perfectly to what John the Baptist is saying. We don't have the time to help the people who don't want help. Although they need our prayer and help the most...Maybe it's more important to help the people who are on the right track to better prepare the way for the Messiah. 

John gives us us three ways that we can better prepare for the Messiah, and I believe we can tie these three things into our lives so that not only are we prepared, but also the way for the Messiah. I would take a fair guess and say that God will return quicker when everything is prepared for Him. 

Three ways to be better prepared:

1. share what you have with those who need it

2. whatever your job is, do it well and with fairness

3. be content with what you're earning

I encourage you to take those three things and run with them. Share what you have, do your jobs well, and be content with what you're earning. Think about how much happier you will be as a person when you begin to do those things on a daily basis. 

Let's be honest, most of us have more than what we need...

We might not do our jobs well because we don't enjoy it...

We are greedy and always want to earn more money...

My challenge it to simple share, do everything you do well, and be happy with what you have. Be thankful for the job you have. I don't care if it's something you might not enjoy. It's your job and you have it right now for a reason. There are people all over the world who would do anything to have a job like you. Be content with your income. Sure, it might not be as much as you want or you think you deserve but it's something. 

Just like John the Baptist called people to right living, I am also calling anyone who reads this to right living as well...