John 3:27-36: a reflection

27John answered, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven. 28You yourselves testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before him.’ 29He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore my joy is made full. 30He must increase, but I must decrease. 31“He who comes from above is above all. He who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32What he has seen and heard, of that he testifies; and no one receives his witness. 33He who has received his witness has set his seal to this, that God is true. 34For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for God gives the Spirit without measure. 35The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand. 36One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but one who disobeys the Son won’t see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”

As John the Baptist's disciples worry that Jesus is drawing away the crowds, John responds not with jealousy but with joy and a settled humility. He compares himself to the friend of the bridegroom, who rejoices at the bridegroom's voice; his joy is made full not by his own increase but by Christ's. And he sums it up in a sentence: He must increase, but I must decrease. John gladly gives Christ the preeminence, content, even glad, to grow smaller as Christ grows greater. His joy is in Christ's increase, not his own; he decreases willingly, even joyfully, so that Christ may increase.

Notice John's glad humility: he must increase, but I must decrease. John does not cling to his own prominence or resent Christ's rise; he welcomes it, finding his joy in Christ's increase. He is content to decrease, to grow smaller, to step back, so that Christ may increase and be given the preeminence. His humility is not grudging but glad; he rejoices to see Christ increase even as he himself decreases. John's whole desire is that Christ be exalted, and he gladly gives way for it, finding his fullest joy not in his own prominence but in Christ's. He decreases with joy, so that Christ may increase.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too are called to gladly decrease so that Christ may increase, finding our joy in his preeminence. We can cling to our own prominence, wanting to increase ourselves, resenting when we must step back or grow smaller; but John gladly decreased so that Christ might increase, finding his joy in Christ's rise, not his own. There is a glad humility that welcomes Christ's increase even at the cost of our own, finding its joy in his preeminence. Do not cling to your own prominence, resenting the call to decrease; gladly step back so that Christ may increase, finding your joy in his preeminence, as John did. Gladly decrease so that Christ may increase, finding your joy in his preeminence rather than clinging to your own prominence, as John the Baptist said he must increase, but I must decrease; for our fullest joy is found not in our own increase but in Christ's, and there is a glad humility that welcomes his rise even as we ourselves grow smaller.

Lord, as John the Baptist's disciples worry that Jesus is drawing away the crowds, John responds not with jealousy but with joy and a settled humility. He compares himself to the friend of the bridegroom, who rejoices at the bridegroom's voice; his joy is made full not by his own increase but by Christ's. And he sums it up in a sentence: he must increase, but I must decrease. John gladly gives Christ the preeminence, content, even glad, to grow smaller as Christ grows greater. His joy is in Christ's increase, not his own. Show me John's glad humility: he must increase, but I must decrease. John does not cling to his own prominence or resent Christ's rise; he welcomes it, finding his joy in Christ's increase. He is content to decrease, to grow smaller, to step back, so that Christ may increase. His humility is not grudging but glad; he rejoices to see Christ increase even as he himself decreases. John's whole desire is that Christ be exalted. Take that to my heart, for I too am called to gladly decrease so that Christ may increase, finding my joy in his preeminence. I can cling to my own prominence, wanting to increase myself, resenting when I must step back or grow smaller; but John gladly decreased so that Christ might increase. There is a glad humility that welcomes Christ's increase even at the cost of my own. Keep me from clinging to my own prominence, resenting the call to decrease; help me gladly step back so that Christ may increase, Lord, finding my joy in his preeminence, as John did.