Grow Through The Gospels - John 3

Read: John 3

John 3:30 “He must become greater; I must become less.”

Think

When Alexander Duff was home on break from India in 1834, he often visited missionary statesman William Carey. On his last visit before Carey died, Duff spent much of his time talking about Carey’s work. Finally, Carey seemed to tire of it and whispered, “Pray.” After Duff prayed, he arose to leave the room, but Carey called him to return to his side. “Mr. Duff,” he said graciously, “you have been speaking about Dr. Carey. When I am gone, say nothing about Dr. Carey. Speak about Dr. Carey’s Savior.”

Humility is tricky because claiming to be an expert in it can seem prideful. Isn’t it prideful to think of yourself as very humble? Even the desire to appear humble can be a demonstration of pride. At some point, we’ve all heard someone humblebrag. There’s a great scene from The Office where Michael Scott shares his weaknesses in an interview: “I work too hard. I care too much. And sometimes I can be too invested in my job.” We laugh, but deep down, we all know that humility is something every Christian must strive for. We should, to the best of our abilities, be humble. That doesn’t mean being passive, unsure, or unconfident. Our passage (John 3) teaches that authentic humility gives God the glory he deserves. That is how one becomes and remains humble.

John the Baptist displays incredible humility in this passage. Jesus has just concluded his conversation with Nicodemus and has begun his ministry in a more formal sense by baptizing. Jesus was baptizing near John the Baptist. John’s disciples were offended, and their competitive spirits flared up. They were loyal members of John’s ministry, and the proximity and effectiveness of Jesus’ ministry felt threatening. The followers argued over whose baptism was better, debating its efficacy in cleansing sin and unrighteousness. However, John’s response to this conflict is remarkable. He says, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven” (John 3:27). He recognized that his ministry was a gift from God.

John the Baptist’s humility calls us to rejoice in how God works, even if it means our roles diminish. It’s about being kingdom-minded. John acknowledged his inferiority to Jesus, stating, “I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him. The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice” (John 3:28-29). John’s role was to herald Jesus' coming, not to compete with him. He rejoiced in Jesus’ presence, knowing that following Christ is better than any personal success. True humility is not evaluating our lives by worldly standards but through a spiritual lens, recognizing that any success in directing people to Jesus is a win for the kingdom of God.

John understood that Jesus was the Messiah, the Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world. Sending people to Jesus was a glorious thing. True humility is giving God the glory he rightfully deserves. Christ must always be increasing in our lives, and we must always be decreasing. This is the not-so-secret key to humility.

Apply

Remember to thank God for your blessings and acknowledge his hand in your successes. Recognize that every good gift comes from him.

Pray

Heavenly Father, teach me to recognize that you have given me every good thing. Help me to always give you the glory you rightfully deserve. Show me where pride and self-will have taken root in my heart, and give me the strength to submit them to you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.