I must decrease

In tomorrow's reading from the Gospel of John, John the Baptist's disciples are concerned that many are now following Jesus. The Baptist replies,

You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, `I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.' He who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. For this reason my joy has been fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.

John knows both who is his (the forerunner, preparing the way) and who his is not (the Messiah). We too need to learn our own identities in God's eyes and part of this is learning that we are not God. There are no divine job vacancies and we would not be able to fill those shoes anyway.

John the Baptist had that heavenly perspective which allowed him to see the importance of his role in God's plan for creation without getting some inflated view of himself. If God's perfect will is to increase in our lives, then our own, often misguided, will must decrease.

peace,
Frank+
The Rev. Frank Logue, Pastor + King of Peace Episcopal Church