Today’s passage is such a great example of humility, and of purpose...John the Baptist was the ‘big deal’ for a while; people were coming from all around to see him and to hear from him.  He was the person with the influence.  Then Jesus shows up...and that all changed.  John immediately knew who Jesus was and immediately did what he teaches in today’s passage...he decreased so Jesus could increase.  What an incredible example John gives us.  It is hard to really appreciate what John models for us here.

John is probably the BEST model that we have of what a great life of discipleship looks like in some ways.  He shows up knowing his purpose.  He executes his purpose.  Jesus shows us and takes away all of the power and influence he had accumulated and John takes it in stride, as a part of his mission.  John is put in prison for no good reason and seemingly isn’t even rescued by Jesus for no good reason.  He has one moment in prison where he asks the disciples just to confirm that Jesus is who he says he is for him because he is in prison over a silly bet between a king and a crooked woman’s daughter...we presume John wanted this confirmation because he was sitting there thinking, “Why am I here...after all I have done, am I not going to be saved?  Is this the way it really ends?”.  Of course, we know that it was.  But John’s statement here in today’s text really epitomizes his entire life that we know about:

“He must increase, but I must decrease.”

In literal terms, this is is saying that it is necessary that Jesus must increase, and that I must decrease.  And this is true of us all.  This is true of me...as I decrease, I make room for Jesus to increase in my life.  This doesn’t mean to play life small, it doesn’t mean to live life less than fully, and it doesn’t mean to be weak and dispassionate.  It simply means that we must recognize AND we must emulate in our lives how John positioned himself...as a tool to do God’s work.  When we see ourselves as God’s vessels vs. vessels for our own happiness, we are decreasing so God can increase.  What an awesome example.

How do we do that today?  How do we emulate John in our lives today?  Well, that’s my prayer...that God would show me a way to do that.  That God would help me see an opportunity to decrease so I can let Jesus increase.  It could be a little thing or a big thing.  Either way though, if I carry this around with me today, desiring for an opportunity, I would be shocked if God doesn’t show up and help me spot an opportunity.  That’s my goal today.