21 QUALITIES: PASSION - John Served God with Gusto (Luke 3:2-22)

Extracted from The Maxwell Leadership Bible

The best single word to describe John the Baptist might be the word "passion". John's passion began even before he was born. He leaped in his mother's womb when Mary spoke of her pregnancy (Luke 1:41). His passion for God grew so great, that before he began his public ministry, he lived alone in the desert, wearing camel's hair and a leather belt and eating locusts and wild honey (Matt. 3:4). He was a radical and unafraid to let anyone know it.

John needed passion to fulfill his God-given calling. Every pioneer needs passion. Pioneers cannot be satisfied with mere maintenance, for they have nothing yet to maintain. They create from nothing. The common folk often view them as eccentric - but their passion attracts other pioneers.

What gave John his passion?

1. He spent time in solitude.
Before John began his public ministry, he lived in the wilderness and spent much time with God. He boiled with the presence of God and could hardly stay quiet.

2. He felt consumed with his mission.
John knew of Jesus' identity and His soon advent. John urgently tried to prepare the way for Him.

3. He possessed a magnetic temperature and wiring.
John is described as a voice crying out (Luke 3:4) an an exhorter (3:18). Like a magnet, he repelled some and attracted others.

4. He possessed a strong sense of justice.
When people asked John what they should do, he told them to do justice (3:10-14). This hunger for justice drove him. He wouldn't sit still until he saw results.

5. He saw things as black and white.
Like others with prophetic gifts, John saw most issues as either black or white. While this sounds narrow to most pastors or businesspersons, this is part of what gave John his passion.

6. He felt dissatisfied with anything but action.
John was a doer. He didn't want people to merely talk about repentance and faith. He told the Pharisees they should bring forth fruit to prove their repentance.

Passion makes for an effective ministry. So how can you increase your passion?

1. Take your temperature. Get an honest assessment from coworkers: Are you passionate about what you do? You can't start a fire in your organization unless it first burns in you.

2. Return to your first love. Many leaders allow life to push them off track. Think back to when you first began your career. What drove you? What made you enthusiastic?

3. Associate with people of passion. Birds of a feather flock together. Hot coals stay hot when they remain in the fire. Find passionate people and let them rub off on you.