Mark 1:6 And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey;
Wild man:
At times we get the impression that John the Baptist was thought of as a “wild man” because how he dressed and the description of his life and diet (Matt 3:4), similar to Elijah (2 Ki 1:8). We think that maybe he was the laughing stock or one that received much ridicule for this lifestyle. But quite the opposite seems to be the case. The people revered him and thought perhaps he might be Elijah (Jn 1:21). Some even thought he was the Messiah or “that prophet” that was prophesied should come (Deut 18:18).
John’s preaching and baptism of repentance for the remission of sins was not ridiculed or rejected either because we see not only common people coming to him, but also publican, soldiers, priests and Levites as well as Pharisees and Sadducees (Lu 3: 3, 10, 12, 14; Jn 1:19; Matt 3:7). We know many did repent and were baptized.
Far from lacking a credible lifestyle, John was what was expected and his ministry and message were in fulfillment of those of Elijah (Mal 4:5). It seems that some false prophets tried to mimic Elijah by their appearance (Zech 13:4).
Jesus’ credible lifestyle:
Jesus came and presents His lifestyle in the manner as a Jew and His ministry was validated by His teaching (Matt 9:20; Num 15:38; Jn 4:9; Matt 7:29). His lifestyle was not that as John the Baptists but He was held as a prophet (Matt 14:5) but He did not live the life of a Nazarite as John (Lu 7:33-34).
Our credible lifestyle:
Today there are too many that try to reach the lost by using an un-credible lifestyle thinking they have to do weird things or dress weird ways in order to be attractive to them. We do well to look at those who were said to be in favor with God and men – our first duty is to be in favor with God (1 Sam 2:26; Lu 2:52; Acts 2:47). God can bring us into favor with the lost if we put Him first (Dan 1:9; Acts 7:10). Our credibility will be mostly by our testimony as Christians in the midst of this ungodly world and around the ungodly that we either work with or associate with day by day. Paul makes an interesting statement in Titus 2:10 and this would be a good verse to use in our approach as witnesses for Christ.