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Wednesday, November 14, 2012

True Humility



            I’ve been reading through the book of John quite slowly.  I don’t want to miss anything that the Lord might want to show me.  As I came to the second half of John chapter 3, I began to notice some interesting qualities about John the Baptist.  If anyone in scripture was truly humble it was John the Baptist.  He had a mission and a calling from God, but he never considered himself to be anything great.  As a matter of fact, he was continually asked if he was the Messiah or a great prophet, and his response was always, “I am not.”  In this article I want to look at three qualities that I noticed in the life of John the Baptist that every one should exhibit if they want to be a humble person.

The first trait I want to look at is John’s attitude.  John knew who he was.  He knew his calling, and he was content in his calling and did not try to become someone or something greater. The humble person accepts his position and does not try to become someone or something greater on his own.

In verse 26 of John 3, John’s disciples came to him worried.  They said, “Rabbi, the man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan – the one you testified about – well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.” (NIV).  Basically they were saying, “John, you are the one called to baptize.  This Jesus has started baptizing, and we are losing our flock.”

But this was John’s reply, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.”  In other words John was content in his mission.  He knew from the beginning that his mission was to prepare the way for someone greater to come.  If he had tried to push himself into a greater position, God would have removed him from that position. 

I know of a youth pastor who became so successful in his ministry that he eventually ran more students in the youth service than the church did on Sundays.  The pastor of that church became extremely jealous and made life very difficult for that youth pastor until he eventually left, and the church never fully recovered.  The pastor was jealous because his ministry was not the greatest ministry in the church.  He took on a prideful attitude instead of a humble one.  A humble person is always content to do only what he has been called to do.

            The next thing about John that showed his humility was that he rejoiced in the success of Jesus.  In verses 29-30 he said, “The bride belongs to the bridegroom.  The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice.  That joy is mine, and it is now complete.”

            The bride belongs to the bridegroom.  John knew that Jesus – not he – was sent to save the world.  He knew that even those that he had baptized did not belong to him, but they belonged to Jesus.  John compared Jesus to the bridegroom, and he compared himself to the attendant.  His mission was to come prepare the way for Jesus and to serve him in any way possible.  Now that Jesus was on the scene John showed his true character by saying, “My joy is now complete.”

            John rejoiced in the success of Jesus.   He did not become jealous when Jesus “stole his flock”.  He did not try to ruin Jesus’ ministry by talking behind his back.  He lifted up the name of Jesus and declared, “My joy is now complete.”  Back to the story of pastor versus youth pastor.  The pastor could have rejoiced with the youth pastor.  He could have rejoiced in his success, and he could have rejoiced in the fact that so many young lives were being changed.  But instead he took the jealous route and tried to ruin the ministry of the youth pastor.  The humble person always rejoices in the success of others – even those under his care.

            The final point I want to look at is the fact that John always pointed to Jesus.  Now that Jesus was on the scene, John’s mission became less about baptism and more about leading people to Jesus.  John himself said, “I am not the Christ, but the one coming after me is.”    In John 1:29, Jesus came to be baptized by John.  John knew who he was because the Spirit had opened his eyes.  He could have allowed pride to grow up in his heart because he was getting ready to baptize the Messiah.  Instead he said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”  The first thing John did when he recognized Jesus was to turn the people’s attention away from him and onto Jesus.

            The humble person is always content to fade into the background so that Jesus can be fully seen and recognized.  Too many ministers today have tried to gain fame and popularity for themselves instead of pointing to Jesus.  While people have been saved under their ministry, I believe that there is some very harsh judgment coming to those ministers.  God only exalts those that will point to him, and when they begin pointing to themselves, they will fall.

            John the Baptist said it best in verse 30 of chapter 3 when he said, “He must become greater, and I must become less.”  The humble person is sincerely content with staying out of the spotlight.  The humble person is not concerned with being seen or heard, but they are always deflecting the glory to Jesus.

            Those that strive to be truly humble need to remember the life of John the Baptist.  A humble person is always content to do only what he has been called to do and not force his way up the ladder.   A humble person always rejoices in the success of others – even those under his care.  And finally, the humble person always points to Jesus and is not concerned with being seen or heard.

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