“Now John himself had a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.”
Matthew 3:4 NASB

Matthew does not describe John the Baptist this way just to give us odd wardrobe details and a wilderness menu nobody is ordering at a restaurant. His clothing and food mattered because they said something. John lived like a man who had been set apart by God.

He was not trying to blend in. He was not shaping his life around comfort, applause, or status. His priorities were visible. Even before John opened his mouth, his life already told people that he belonged to the Lord and had been sent with a message.

That is part of the point here. God chooses prophets and messengers to speak for Him, and He often marks them with a kind of separation. In John’s case, it was dramatic. Camel’s hair. Leather belt. Locusts and wild honey. Not exactly the path to popularity. But John was not sent to impress people. He was sent to prepare the way for Jesus Christ.

Young Christians need that reminder. The world teaches us to build a life around image, ease, and approval. Scripture teaches us to build a life around truth. What we love, what we chase, what we tolerate, and what we give ourselves to will eventually show up on the outside. Our priorities always leak. They show up in our words, habits, time, and choices.

This does not mean every Christian must dress strangely or move to the woods and start snacking on insects. It does mean that if Jesus has truly called us, our lives should carry the evidence. Christians have been chosen to proclaim the truth of Christ, and that truth should shape us. We are not saved by looking unusual. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus. But once Christ saves us, He begins teaching us to live as people who belong to Him.

John’s life pointed away from himself and toward the coming King. That is the real goal. A faithful Christian life does not shout, “Look at me.” It says, “Jesus is worth listening to.”

So ask yourself a simple question: what do my daily choices say my priorities are? Because whether we realize it or not, our lives are always preaching something.

And by God’s grace, they can preach Christ.

Pray This

Lord, teach me to live in a way that reflects Your truth. Let my priorities, choices, and words point clearly to Jesus Christ. Amen.