John 3: 30-31 (NKJV)
He must increase, but I must decrease. He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.
John the Baptist was a radical preacher. From pulling up people for their sins to rebuking even the King for his mistakes, John the Baptist was as straight forward as could be. Although he was a powerful preacher who was sent to prepare the way for the Lord Jesus, he looked at people from a worldly lens. This made him angry when he saw the sins of people.
On the other hand, the cousin of John of Baptist, the Lord Jesus, was quite the opposite. Instead of rebuking people, He encouraged them. Instead of pointing out people’s sins, He forgave them and influenced their life in a positive way. He looked at people from a heavenly perspective, knowing that we are susceptible to sin.
In the verse above, John the Baptist talks about the increase of the Lord Jesus in relation to his own decrease. And so, it came to pass as the Lord Jesus touched the lives of tens of thousands.
Isn’t it often a similar situation in our lives? Consider Paul – the writer of more books in the New Testament than anyone else. As a radical Roman, he was famous for terrorizing the followers of the Lord Jesus. In his mind he was doing what was right. But when the Lord Jesus intervened and changed his life, Paul’s character began to decrease and the Lord Jesus began to increase in his life.
Even in the midst of adversity Paul found joy and peace in the Lord. He went from being a household name in Rome to finding his true calling in serving God. In truth, he left his house and found his home!
As we seek the heart of God, we will be transformed into the likeness of the Lord Jesus Christ. And we will find our home, where peace eclipses the troubles of this world!
