John 3:30-31
“He must become greater; I must become less. The One who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The One who comes from heaven is above all.”
The human heart is filled with every type of wickedness. While all sin is repulsive, perhaps the most distasteful is the sin of pride. To see someone swagger and strut is not a pretty sight.
Even when a person does not strut his or her stuff, pride can slither in and create a horrible scene. Pride on the one hand and jealousy on the other can rear their ugly heads when someone new assumes leadership. Sadly, this is often found to be the case in our churches as well.
John the Baptist had been filled with the Holy Spirit and became a mighty man of God to bring a message of repentance to the people in Israel. People flocked out to hear him and respond to his message and be baptized.
You might think that John would be jealous of his territory and his reputation. His entire life had been devoted to serving the Lord in unwavering obedience. Now Jesus had appeared to begin His earthly ministry.
How would John react? Would he jealously hold tight to his ministry and reject the ministry of Jesus? The answer was “No!” The words that John spoke in today’s Scripture should be our attitude as well: “He must become greater; I must become less.”
Wow! That is so profound and unexpected. Later the disciples of Jesus would argue about who would be the greatest in the kingdom. But here is John turning his back on personal gain.
When John’s disciples reported that many of his followers were now following after Jesus, he did not express resentment or bitterness. He knew that it was essential for him to fade into the background and allow His Lord to increase and accomplish His task.
Are you willing to surrender your pride and self-centeredness? I pray you are!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil