Don't Just Talk the Talk

I was reading this morning in the Gospels of Matthew (chapter 3), Mark (chapter 1), and Luke (chapter 3) about John the Baptist.

He was quite a character. He spent a lot of time in the desert preaching. He dressed strangely. He ate strange food.

But he was a powerful yet humble preacher. Hundreds of people were listening to his message of repentance.

One of his messages that people were listening to was catching a lot of attention: 

                       Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

 People from all walks of life were asking John what he meant by that message.

When religious Jews asked him what he meant, he explained that

      ✔ true repentance puts aside any excuse for one’s pretense of righteousness on his/her own, such as heritage/background (Mark 3:8-9). Being a Jew was not enough.

When the common people asked him what he meant, he told them that

       ✔ true repentance disregards what you have (Mark 3:11). You will be willing to share whatever you have with others if/when the opportunity arises.

When the tax collectors asked John what he meant, he explained that

      ✔ true repentance is not concerned with greed or with dishonesty (Mark 3:13).

When the soldiers asked what he meant, John told them that 

     ✔ true repentance is selfless, honest, and content (Mark 3:14).

When a person has true repentance, it will be obvious from the way he lives.   

The fruit in keeping with repentance will be the fruit of humility, caring, honesty, contentment.

 It looks to me like my true repentance will show. It will not be just talk.

To put John the Baptist's message into 21st century language, "Don't just talk the talk, walk the walk".