Less Is More

John 3:22 – 4:3

“It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the best man is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at his success. He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. (3:29-30)

Certainly, these are extraordinary circumstances, as John the Baptist watches his disciples leaving him to follow Jesus. John and Jesus have a special relationship, and their missions are clear. John was born to prepare the way for Jesus, the true Messiah. Still, isn’t it just convicting to hear John so plainly, sincerely, and humbly state the truth, “He must become greater, and I must become less?”

We face John’s challenge, too. In life and in ministry, as we face the crisis of faith that leads us to the brink of salvation, and as we’re faced with the challenges of growing from there onto Christian maturity, we wrestle with it. We find ourselves asking the questions John’s disciples, and I think John, himself, must have faced. Will we hold onto the things that boost our ego? Will we fight to be recognized? Will we pretend we’ve created the blessings in our lives ourselves? Will we compete with others, deluding ourselves into thinking that the success of our ministry is based on us rather than on God? Or will we submit ourselves to our Savior? Can we believe that we’re not what people need, that we’re just the vessel through which they can meet Jesus? Can we let go of our selves and our pride and increasingly discover God at work inside us and among us? And can we rejoice in the great work God is doing without needing to claim responsibility?

Jesus must become greater, and we must become less. Oddly enough, Jesus continually reminds us that when that happens, we become more complete, more joyful, more satisfied, more the person we were designed to be.