fruit

Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (Matthew 3:4-10, NRSV)

As I read this after the text from John 15 from yesterday. The connection between the 2 is bearing fruit and abiding in Jesus.

But as I read this I had to stop for a moment and think, was John the first rendition of a Wookie? Wearing camel’s hair, and a leather belt. Now he was wearing the belt around his waist, and Wookies wear them as sashes… So there is a similar look I am thinking. Or maybe John just looked like a fruit!

But here is the thing. People were not afraid of what he looked like. In fact I think the author of Matthew tells us this to paint the picture for us, that John was rooted in Jesus, and because of that no one noticed how different he was. They listened to his message and came to be baptized.

Even the religious leaders were checking him out. They must had heard about the powerful preaching going on, so they came too.

So be connected to Jesus and don’t worry about what the world thinks about you.

And may the Holy Spirit be with you always!