John 1:7

This verse is about a man named John — commonly called John the Baptist to distinguish him from the gospel's author — who was a prophet and the forerunner of Jesus. The gospel of John opens with a rich, poetic description of Jesus as the true "light" of the world, the source of life and ultimate truth. John the Baptist appeared before Jesus began his public ministry, drawing large crowds and calling people to turn back to God. But the gospel writer makes a careful distinction: John was not the light himself. He came specifically as a witness — someone whose entire purpose was to point toward something far greater than himself — so that through his testimony, people might come to believe in the true light.

Lord, help me be a good signpost — someone whose life points beyond itself. When I'm tempted to protect my image or draw attention to myself, remind me that the one thing I'm here to do is point toward the light. Amen.

By any measure, John the Baptist was extraordinary. People walked miles into the wilderness to hear him. Crowds gathered. A movement was forming. And his entire life's work was to make sure none of that attention stayed on him. He was a signpost. A signpost's only job is to point somewhere else — and a good signpost doesn't ask you to slow down and admire it. It just gets out of the way so you can see what it's indicating. Most of us are tempted, in quiet and subtle ways, to build something around ourselves — our reputation, our image, the story we carefully curate about who we are. There's nothing wrong with influence or being known. But John the Baptist puts a harder question on the table: when people spend time around you, are they left thinking more about you — or more about something beyond you? You don't have to be a preacher to be a witness. You just have to be honest about where the light is actually coming from, and willing to point there even when it costs you the spotlight.