October 27

He must increase; I must decrease. — John 3:30 BSB

Before Jesus began His ministry, John the Baptist was very popular. But once Jesus started preaching, the crowds that had once followed John began to follow Jesus. John’s disciples were upset by this. They felt that Jesus wasn’t showing proper gratitude to John, given that the people were now turning away from him.

John’s response was noble. He reminded them, “I am not the Christ… I am sent before Him.” He explained that he was not the bridegroom but merely the friend of the bridegroom.

It wasn’t easy for John to see people leaving him to follow Jesus, but he accepted it graciously. It’s never easy to go from first place to second, yet John continued to serve faithfully. Some people who have been in positions of prominence struggle to remain useful when their roles change, but John teaches us the importance of serving faithfully, no matter our position.