John the Baptist had built something significant. Crowds came to hear him preach. People repented and were baptized. His disciples had given up everything to follow him. Then Jesus showed up, and the crowds started shrinking. John's followers were worried. Their movement was losing momentum. They came to him with their concerns.
John's response is stunning. He doesn't defend his ministry. He doesn't strategize about how to keep his followers. Instead, he says what every Christian must learn to say: "He must increase, but I must decrease." These aren't just nice words. John means them. He will soon be in prison, then executed. His entire life will be stripped away. Yet he rejoices that Jesus is becoming greater.
This is the opposite of how we usually think. We want to build our platform. We measure success by how many people follow us, listen to us, depend on us. Even in ministry, we can make it about our church, our reputation, our influence. John shows us a better way. The Christian life is about making Jesus big and making ourselves small.
This doesn't mean thinking poorly of yourself. John knew who he was. He was the voice preparing the way. That was his calling, and he fulfilled it. But he also knew who he wasn't. He wasn't the bridegroom. He wasn't the Christ. He understood his role and was content to play it. When Jesus increased, John celebrated. His joy was complete.
You have the same choice today. You can build your kingdom or you can build Christ's. You can make your name great, or you can make Jesus' name great. This shows up in small things. When someone praises you, do you quietly point them to Christ? When you're overlooked, do you rejoice that Jesus is still on his throne? When your plans fail, do you trust that his purposes stand?
Prayer: Lord, forgive us for making life about our increase. Teach us the joy of becoming less so that Jesus becomes more in our eyes, in our families, and in our church. Amen.
