For a short time here it looks like we have two competing prophets vying for the attention and affection of the people. John was already about the region preaching about repentance and baptising people who did repent. He looked like a wild man but was drawing great crowds.
We also had this new prophets named Jesus of Nazarth. He was also preaching and baptising.
John’s disicples and some of the Jews were not sure about this new preacher. They came to John reporting that Jesus and His disciples were also baptising and drawing people to them.
If John was like a lot of us there would have been a little of that tragic, little known sin of ‘ministry envy’ but John would have none of it. John knew why he was there. We knew his whole purpose was to prepare the way for the coming Messiah.
So it didn’t bother John. This was all part of God’s work. Then John declares that something that should always be foremost for us in every situation. He realises that it is not about him and he declares ‘He must increase and I must decrease.’
That same contest goes on in our lives today. Who is going to increase and who is going to decrease. If I increase me in my life than I have to decrease Him. But, if I increase Jesus I am the one who is going to move to the back.
Christ must have the priority in my life. He must be first. I must strive to lift Him up, and as I do He will take care of everything else.
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