Shaken With The Wind Matthew 11:7

“Shaken With The Wind” “… What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? ” Matthew 11 :7b

Jesus identified John the Baptist as one of the greatest prophets. He remarked that among men born of women there was none greater than John the Baptist. We might analyze the many reasons for his greatness, but the Lord mentioned two qualities that set him apart from lesser men. He was not a man of soft raiment—his outward appearance testified that he was a rugged and manly man. His inner character was just as tough as his masculine exterior. He was not shaken with the wind. He knew what he believed, and he stood firmly on his principles, though it might cost him his reputation, his freedom or even his life. So many preachers today are afraid to stand for truth. They stick their finger in the air to see which way the wind is blowing. They are tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine. They follow new trends, they adopt new philosophies of ministry; these shaky brethren drop the old hymns of the faith and adopt a contemporary seekersensitive style of worship. They criss-cross the country to attend new conferences, seeking for a new idea, morphing like chameleons to conform to new models and new paradigms, hoping to achieve growth. You can almost see them bend like a reed whenever the wind changes. John was not such a man. He was planted as firmly as an oak tree, rooted in truth, grounded and settled in the faith. We need more Baptists like John! ! — D.O. REV. DON OSSEWAARDE, Dean of Men, Providence Baptist College, Elgin, IL

Prepared by Roger Fulk, from the “Baptist Bread” February 21st, 2020 devotional by author REV. DON OSSEWAARDE, Dean of Men, Providence Baptist College, Elgin, IL. With permission from Tim Green, editor Baptist Bread. http://timgreenministries.org/the-baptist-bread/