He must increase, but I must decrease

John 3:30 (NASB)

“He must increase, but I must decrease”. 

Most folks know what is the shortest verse in the Bible --Jesus wept. (John 11:35)-- although in the original Greek, a verse with fewer letters is I Thess 5:16—“Rejoice always”.  John 3:30 is not the shortest verses in the Bible, but it might be among the shortest memory verses that can describe the motto of the Christian life. 

It takes a humble person to make this statement and practice it.  John the Baptist, who uttered these words, his last recorded words until right before his beheading when he asked if Jesus was the “Coming One” (Matthew 11:3), was truly a humble man.  He set the example for all of us. 

Every Christian must strive to believe and practice these words of John.  Note the emphasis on the verb “must”.  The Bible scholar, Warren Wiersbe, points out that the word must is used in three significant ways in John 3. There is the “must” of the sinner to be born again (John 3:7), the “must” of the Savior to be lifted up (John 3:14), and the “must” of the servant  (John 3:30).  Jesus must increase in your life as a Christian, there is no other option.  This is an imperative, yet how how many Christian people really take this to heart and practice it day in, day out for the rest of their lives?  Can you honestly declare that you have practiced this?

Jesus must increase in prominence and emphasis in your life.  Your self-centered ego must decrease.  It’s as simple as that.  Yet, how difficult it is to accomplish this goal.  You go to church—Sunday morning or Saturday evening or whenever—to praise and worship the Lord, to fellowship and encourage one another, and to learn more about becoming and being a Christian.  Time in church is also when you “re-charge” your spiritual battery such that whatever self-centered things have been dominating your life recently, you can push them to the back and let Christ come to the front again.  So during and after church attendance, Christ becomes and is first in your life, yet how long does it take after church before your self-centered life returns?  This motto of Jesus’ presence and control increasing in your life must be practiced daily, even hourly.  Yet is it really in your life?

The most practical way to give Jesus increasing prominence in your daily life is to give more time reading His Word, praying to Him, and doing things that you know pleases Him.  Acts of humility please Him.  And what happens when you see Jesus increasing in your life priorities?  Your joy increases.  Read the previous verse—John 3:29—joy results from giving priority to Jesus in your life.  Think about it---a life that humbly puts Christ above self is a life that has no jealousy, envy, comparing yourself to others, and other faults that produce sadness and depression in our lives.  Life without these faults is a life filled with joy.   

John Butler said that “Any person who would serve the Lord properly must embrace this attitude of John 3:30 if the light of their life is to shine at the right places and times”.  What can you do starting right now to embrace and practice the standard of Jesus increasing in prominence in your life while at the same time your own self-motives and self-interests and selfish attitudes decrease?  There are great blessings in store for you if you sincerely pursue this goal.