What Made Him Great?

Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. Matthew 11:11.
What was it that made John the Baptist great? He closed his mind to the mass of tradition presented by the teachers of the Jewish nation, and opened it to the wisdom which comes from above.
John the Baptist was not fitted for his high calling as the forerunner of Christ by association with the great men of the nation in the schools of Jerusalem. He went out into the wilderness, where the customs and doctrines of men could not mold his mind, and where he could hold unobstructed communion with God.
John the Baptist was a man filled with the Holy Ghost from his birth, and if there was anyone who could remain unaffected by the corrupting influences of the age in which he lived, it was surely he. Yet he did not venture to trust his strength; he separated himself from his friends and relatives, that his natural affections might not prove a snare to him. He would not place himself unnecessarily in the way of temptation nor where the luxuries or even the conveniences of life would lead him to indulge in ease or to gratify his appetite, and thus lessen his physical and mental strength….
He subjected himself to privation and solitude in the wilderness, where he could preserve the sacred sense of the majesty of God by studying His great book of nature…. It was an atmosphere calculated to perfect moral culture and to keep the fear of the Lord continually before him. John, the forerunner of Christ, did not expose himself to evil conversation and the corrupting influences of the world. He feared the effect upon his conscience, that sin might not appear to him so exceedingly sinful. He chose rather to have his home in the wilderness, where his senses would not be perverted by his surroundings. Should we not learn something from this example of one whom Christ honored and of whom He said: “Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist”?
Conflict and Courage p. 276
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Prayer Requests
—–Ron got into a property damage accident on Friday which caused great damage to our 5th wheel serious enough that we will be without it for a couple of months. Since we live in our 5th wheel, that is a problem. Praise God we can live with Esther and family, but it will be very crowded as Eileen is also with them while she is recuperating from back surgery. In addition, Ron is having rotator cuff surgery on June first. We all need prayer during the next couple of months. Rose
—–3:30pm (PST) today, is when the judge will be making a decision about placing Mazie. My home is open to her and where she and her sister did very well before. Caseworker would like her placed with me. Prayers for God’s leading and presence in the courtroom today. Heidi
—–Please pray for Pastor Neal Owen who just found out he has colon cancer. Diane
—–My grand son is in the hospital on a breathing machine. his lung is full of fluid. The doctors are not sure why. Please say a prayer for him. Bobbie
—–praise—It looks like our account with the insurance company is finally getting straightened out. E and M
—–Please pray for us as we have been searching for a new home in a different state. We need to be out of here by the end of the month & still no home to move to. Virginia
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Dear Friends,
Many years ago, my mother worked piece-work in a factory that had terrible working conditions. She would come home exhausted every night. We did not have a car, so she rode the bus and walked wearily home. By the bus stop, there was this little dress shop. One evening as she was getting off the bus, she saw the most beautiful dress displayed in the store window. It was pale blue with delicate flowers. How she wanted that dress!
Over the next few weeks, she saved a dollar here and there until, finally, she had enough to buy that long-desired dress. That day was particularly difficult as the day was very hot and it was so hot in the factory that the tar was melting and dripping through the ceiling like little stalactites. She was uncomfortably hot, but she had the
anticipation of buying that beautiful dress that very evening to keep her
going.
At long last, it was time to go home. Tired and sweaty, she climbed on the bus and soon she was at her stop. She stood at the dress shop window a moment to catch her breath and then ventured in. She saw no clerk, so she searched the racks of dresses until she found the dress she had saved so hard for.
At last the clerk came over to where she was, took one look at my mother, and decided that she did not have the money for any of her beautiful garments. She looked my mother up and down and said, “We don’t allow “window shoppers” in here.
My poor mother was shocked! She was angry! She was hurt! She had saved for weeks to buy that dress and now the store clerk talked to her so rudely. My mother never said a word. She just turned around with tears of disappointment in her eyes and walked out of the store. Sometimes we are like that clerk.
How easy it is look at someone and misjudge them. We look on their rough exterior and do not see the tender heart beneath. May we always look beyond the outside and touch the heart of those we meet with Calvary’s love.
Rose