John the Baptist was commissioned by heaven to prepare men for the coming of the promised Messiah. And by all reasonable (and Divine) measurements, he was successful in his efforts (Matt. 3:5-6). Scripture teaches that John even had his own disciples—who were learners and followers of him in what he was teaching.
But there is something that we need to see (and emulate) in his life. There was something that set John apart from all other men (Matt. 11:11). When some of John’s disciples were concerned about a perceived rivalry with Jesus, they thought that John was going to be overlooked, bypassed and end up on the losing end. They begrudged, “Behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!” (John 3:26). Notice how John responded.
John realized who he was and that all he had was from God. “John answered and said, ‘A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven’” (John 3:27). Some of us have a higher opinion of ourselves than we ought (cf. Rom. 12:3, 16). John knew that he was nothing without having received all of his gifts from above (cf. Jas. 1:17). What a lesson for us! Do we know it?
John affirmed to others that he was not “all that.” John reminded, “I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him’” (3:28). When some were trying to make John out to be more than he was, it would have been easy for him to glow in the attention, but instead he affirmed, “It’s not me! It’s Him!” What a lesson for us! Do we do that?
John rejoiced at what Jesus said, whatever it was. Rather than feel threatened by the growing attention the Lord was receiving, John was himself eager to hear and to follow. He cheerfully stated, “The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled” (3:29). John was full of joy at whatever Jesus taught. What a lesson for us! Do we rejoice at every teaching of Jesus?
John was eager to elevate Jesus in his life and to minimize self. In one of the most compelling statements in all of Scripture, John avowed, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (3:30). John had been “the voice” (Matt. 3:3) to which crowds turned and listened, but now THE voice had come to which everyone needed to harken. Rather than try to compete, John’s greatest desire was for his friend, Jesus, to increase in every way. What a lesson for us! Do we also strive to decrease, so that our Lord can increase?
John held a special relationship to Jesus, leaving us much to emulate from his life. Are we anything like John?