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John the Baptist, the cousin of Jesus, lived at the pinnacle of change in the story of humanity.
All of history towering behind him would soon tip on the apex of the cross: balanced, swaying, teetering one direction or another.
John got to tell it all. He was ringmaster. He called the upcoming attraction: Jesus! The Savior of humankind!
Pretty exciting, huh?
John did much more, however. He didn’t simply parrot the birth of the greatest man who would walk the earth. John taught truth, both in how we should treat others, and in how we should live.
In Luke 3:14, the question is presented to John: How shall we live our lives? John gives a classic reply, second only to the Golden Rule:
“And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.”
John aced the Christian lifestyle. Let’s look at the three precepts he presents in this verse:
Precept No. 1: “Do violence to no man.”
Be kind. Be patient. Don’t hit. Don’t abuse. When we treat others well, we’re exemplifying the teachings of Christ.
Precept No. 2: “Neither accuse any falsely.”
Truth is never underrated. Don’t manipulate situations to our benefit. Don’t let greed triumph over honesty and morals.
Precept No. 3: “Be content with your wages.”
Ambition too easily becomes linked with greed. Do we need that bigger house, or do we need people to see that we can afford it? Is that corner office about better working conditions, or is it about having power over others?
John’s core message was that coming to Christ doesn’t change who we are. It changes the way we live. A teacher doesn’t move out of the public school system and into a church school. Instead, he lives a Christian example where he is. The same is true for a waiter, a doctor, a librarian, a welder, or a custodian. It’s how we live, not where we live, that speaks the message of the cross unto the world.
When our Christian morals reflect Christ, our lives will reflect his love.
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Code: FGO.C.26.17f.vp.kjv