He Must Increase

"He must increase, but I must decrease."

John 3:30

John the Baptist had prepared the way for Jesus the Messiah. Before Jesus came, John had quite a following. But after the Lord appeared on the scene and John baptized Him, the people turned their attention away from John to Jesus. When confronted about the circumstances that diminished his ministry -- a ministry he had given his whole life for and would soon die for -- John responded that his "joy has been made full" (v. 29). He understood that his service was for the glorification of the Lord and not for Himself. John was willing -- joyfully willing -- to decrease in stature for the exaltation of Christ. Jesus "must increase, but I must decrease." What a wonderful example John is for us.