I'm Fine With Second Place

“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,

Who will prepare your way,

The voice of one crying in the wilderness;

‘Prepare the way of the Lord,

Make his paths straight.’”

I have always thought that John the Baptist got a pretty raw deal in the whole “prepare the way of the Lord” thing.

Now, he is rightly remembered as a hero of the faith, someone whom all believers can point to as a wonderful servant of God. In fact he is an absolutely amazing figure that plays into all four gospel accounts of the birth of Jesus. The story of the birth of Jesus doesn’t get told without mention of John which reveals the esteem with which God holds him.

John was promised centuries before in prophecy. As much as anything else, John himself and his ministry was the sign for Israel that indeed the Messiah had come…truly a remarkable calling and ministry.

And then Jesus shows up on the scene. John spends years living a hippie life of homemade clothing and scavenged food and Jesus visits him to be baptized before going on to start his own ministry, seemingly leaving John in his dust.

Jesus begins calling disciples to his side and certainly John had to be wondering “when is my turn”. John the Baptist, by calling and the empowering of God, should have been the number one draft pick. Instead Jesus picks bumbling idiots like Peter, James, and John.

If I were putting together a team of kingdom builders, John the Baptist would have been at the top of my list. He was a ready-made #2 with years of experience and a clear track record of deep commitment (locusts? really?).

But God’s ways are not our own. There is something to be learned in looking at John the Baptist. You see, John was never motivated by pride or place of privilege. He wasn’t concerned (like the other disciples) about who would be greatest. He simply wanted to make Jesus known.

In John 3:28-30 we see the fullness of John’s humility and joy in making Jesus known:

“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.”

Oh that I would be so humble in my life! When Jesus shows up to do what only he can do I pray that I am not clamoring for position but instead simply rejoicing that Jesus has shown up. At the end of the day (and of all time) it’s not about us.

As Christmas comes and we check our busy calendars, our long shopping lists, and deal with our often unrestful hearts I pray that we will be humbled enough to celebrate that Jesus has indeed shown up. This Christmas season, with each cookie we bake, each present we wrap, each card we send, and each “Merry Christmas” we speak may we in our hearts also say “he must increase, I must decrease.”