So John’s disciples came to him and said, “Rabbi, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan River, the one you identified as the Messiah, is also baptizing people. And everybody is going to him instead of coming to us.” John replied, “No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven. You yourselves know how plainly I told you, ‘I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him.’ It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the bridegroom’s friend 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.

Dear God, these last two sentences are great. I find it interesting that John’s disciples are jealous of the Messiah’s success. They were obviously enjoying the fame and attention they were getting by hanging out with this odd, but Godly guy. Now, they saw Jesus having more “success” than John (and maybe they had some personal rivalries with Jesus’ disciples) so they were concerned.

But since John was their teacher, you were able to teach them through John. The lesson? Jesus is greater. Celebrate his success. He must increase and all of us must decrease. I wonder what the conversations among them were like after this teaching from John. How did they handle this—especially since John was close to being arrested.

Father, help me to yield to your instruction. Help me to decrease and you increase. Help me to do whatever I can to bring glory to you and deflect it from myself. Help me to love. Help me to worship. Help me to do everything you have for me to do.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen