Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘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. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:25–30)John was truly humble. He could have envied what Jesus was doing. He could have taken credit for pointing others to Him. He could have boasted that God had sent him to do this important task. Yet he did not have “I” problems that reveal self-centered pride. He knew that the root of pride is saying that we can do without God. He also knew that pride is sin.
C. S. Lewis said: “The most obvious fact about praise escaped me for the longest…” pointing to the fact that we are created in His image and made to reflect that image to the world. It is why we exist, and this is not just about Christian service:
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. (1 Corinthians 10:31–33)Pride thinks I know best, that I can do it myself, that I am adequate. This is not a description of Abraham who is the father of faith:
No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. (Romans 4:20–25)How to do it? First trust Him for everything and give Him glory by recognizing and publicly acknowledging His supreme worth and significance. Ascribe weight to Him, calling accurate public attention to His importance and proclaiming what He is and does. This is my fundamental purpose — to please, honor, and bring glory to my Creator and in every dimension of life, even eating and drinking.
It also means honoring Him above myself, and putting Him on display in both small and significant matters far deeper than religious expression, but in how I speak, work, what I wear and eat, how I care for myself and others, how I use the skills He gave me, and tell others how He cares for me.
All creation exists “from Him and through Him and to Him,” so I exist for His glory and through Christ’s life and death, with ultimate aim toward God’s glory. His grace is not meant to honor me nor is His glory is some sort of cosmic egotism. Instead it reveals Him with the goal to magnify human desire to know Him and be saved, like John said. He must increase, but I must decrease.
Jesus, I understand this by the difference I see in others when I tell of my achievements or when I point to You as the reason for anything good in my life. No one wants to be like me, but when I glorify You they seem drawn to You — with the hope that they can trust You and know Your grace and blessings. If I can be an expert in anything, it is the willingness and ability to decrease while You increase in all that I think, say, and do.
