John the Baptist - very depressed

When Jesus came to the earth and began his ministry, everyone thought he was gathering followers to one day defeat the Romans with swords and spears and that he would be king of Israel in place of Herod. The disciples were excited for this, and were confused and didn't understand Jesus's hints that that wasn't what he had come to do. Jesus wasn't fitting their agenda? Impossible.

We all know John the Baptist as the noisy guy by the river dressed in camel skin and excited about Jesus's coming. But apparently he had his own idea for what Jesus would do as well as the others. When Herod imprisoned him, he sat waiting for something amazing to happen - waiting to hear that Rome was defeated, or waiting to hear that everyone had the Holy Spirit and were speaking God's word, or that the kingdom of God had come to earth, or something grand like that. C'mon Jesus, let's get moving! Prison can get you into a state of depression I imagine, and when none of these things were happening, he sent messengers to Jesus. They asked, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" John the Baptist asked that! And Jesus didn't frown at the words - he said, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."

He was basically saying, " Blessed is the man who sticks with me and trusts me - even if what I'm doing doesn't fit his plan."

Then listen to what Jesus says to the crowd about John:

"What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings' palaces. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written:

'I will send my messenger ahead of you,

who will prepare your way before you.'

I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."

In Jesus's mind, John wasn't a bum because he was confused. Even the greatest man born of woman has his doubts, but Jesus bears with them.

You can't put God in a box! His plan may not always align with yours - but that's ok! Just trust that He has his own great plan. Jesus sure did!