Today, John shows us what true discipleship looks like. Jesus has come, and now He is getting all the attention. Some folks go to John and say, “Look, everyone is going to Jesus.” Many, if not most of us, would get defensive. Our pride and ego may be hurt. I mean, what happened to us? Everyone liked us. But what does John do? He knows the truth. It’s all about Jesus. He says, He must increase, and I must decrease. It wasn’t about John. It was about Jesus. John understood that, and because of that, he truly lived. What could happen, y’all, if we put aside our pride, our ego, our everything and just simply focused on Jesus?

Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he’ll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God’s Word.

If you’d like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up.

Click on the image above or this link to watch today’s video.

You can read today’s passage here.

You can podcast this reflection here. You can subscribe through Spotify or Apple Podcasts as well.

Or, if you’d like to read the transcript of the video, keep reading!

Good morning! It’s so good to be back with you now that I’m back from school. There’s something comforting about returning to our routines, and I’m hopeful that everything will settle into a steady rhythm for the next few months. I’ve missed these moments together, and I’m excited to dive back into John’s Gospel with you today.

Today, we’re continuing with John chapter 3, reading verses 22 through 30. We’ve just finished discussing Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus, which culminates in the well-known verse, John 3:16. Now, we move forward to see what happens next.

This passage is one of my favorites in John’s Gospel, especially the powerful statement, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” Let’s take a closer look at what’s happening here.

After finishing His conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus goes into the Judean countryside, where He begins baptizing, just as John had been doing. There’s an interesting discussion that arises here about purification, which ties back to the Jewish ritual of ceremonial washing—a practice that some scholars believe baptism may have adapted.

As Jesus begins to baptize, John’s followers notice that more people are going to Jesus than to John. They approach John, almost in a way that seems designed to stir up jealousy or competition, asking him how he feels about losing followers to Jesus. But John’s response is profound. He reminds them that his role has always been to prepare the way for the Messiah, not to seek his own glory. John says, “No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven.” He recognizes that everything he has, and everything Jesus has, is a gift from God.

John compares himself to the friend of the bridegroom, who rejoices at the bridegroom’s voice. He understands that his joy is complete because the Messiah has come. And then he delivers that powerful line, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” John’s humility and understanding of his role are striking. He knows it’s not about him; it’s about Jesus.

Imagine if we lived our lives with this same humility—if we focused less on our own recognition and more on lifting up Jesus. There’s a quote often attributed to Harry Truman that says, “It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” This could easily describe John the Baptist. He was content to lose followers to Jesus because he knew that the true mission was to point people to the Messiah, not to himself.

As pastors, leaders, and followers of Christ, we should embrace this mindset. It’s not about us; it’s about Jesus. Our pride, if left unchecked, can lead us to seek our own glory, but John’s example teaches us the importance of humility. If we want true peace, purpose, and joy, we must learn to decrease so that Jesus can increase in our lives.

C.S. Lewis said, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it’s thinking of yourself less.” This is a beautiful goal for us all—to think of ourselves less and to focus on glorifying Christ in everything we do.

When we decrease and allow Jesus to increase, we find true life. Think of the great servants of God—people like Mother Teresa, Billy Graham, and perhaps even the faithful saints in your own life. They decreased so that Jesus could increase, and the impact of their lives was immeasurable.

So today, let’s seek after humility. Let’s strive to decrease so that Jesus can increase in us. Let’s get out of the way and let Him do His work. This is the path to true happiness, peace, and life.

Thanks for being with me today. Tomorrow, we’ll finish out chapter 3 by reading verses 31 through 36. Have a great rest of your day, and I’ll see you in the morning!