More of Jesus, Less of Me
More of Jesus, Less of Me
Reading: John 3:30
“He must become greater; I must become less.”
John the Baptist is watching his influence shrink while Jesus’ grows.
His followers are worried, but John isn’t. He knows his role: he’s not the main event—he’s the one preparing the way.
He’s like a runway: important, but not the destination. No one buys a plane ticket to admire the runway, yet without it the plane never gets off the ground. John is genuinely glad when people move from him to Jesus. His joy grows when Jesus is the one in the spotlight.
That’s different from how most of us naturally think. We often assume we’ll be happy when *we* are noticed, appreciated, or praised. John gently suggests something deeper: real joy comes when Jesus is trusted, loved, and lifted up—even if it means we fade into the background a bit.
For Jesus to “increase” in us, something usually has to “decrease”: our need to be right, our craving for recognition, our fear of what people think, our tight grip on control. We don’t fix this by trying harder to be humble, but by steadily returning our gaze to Jesus—who he is and what he’s done—until our grip loosens.
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Reflection
- Where is it hard for me to celebrate someone else’s success right now?
- Is there one small place this week where I can let Jesus “increase” by letting go of my need to be seen or in control?
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Prayer
“Jesus, today become greater in my thoughts, words, and choices.
Let my need for attention and control grow smaller.
Make me content to point to you, even when no one notices me.
When you increase, help me become who you made me to be.
Amen.”
Reading: John 3:30
“He must become greater; I must become less.”
John the Baptist is watching his influence shrink while Jesus’ grows.
His followers are worried, but John isn’t. He knows his role: he’s not the main event—he’s the one preparing the way.
He’s like a runway: important, but not the destination. No one buys a plane ticket to admire the runway, yet without it the plane never gets off the ground. John is genuinely glad when people move from him to Jesus. His joy grows when Jesus is the one in the spotlight.
That’s different from how most of us naturally think. We often assume we’ll be happy when *we* are noticed, appreciated, or praised. John gently suggests something deeper: real joy comes when Jesus is trusted, loved, and lifted up—even if it means we fade into the background a bit.
For Jesus to “increase” in us, something usually has to “decrease”: our need to be right, our craving for recognition, our fear of what people think, our tight grip on control. We don’t fix this by trying harder to be humble, but by steadily returning our gaze to Jesus—who he is and what he’s done—until our grip loosens.
---
Reflection
- Where is it hard for me to celebrate someone else’s success right now?
- Is there one small place this week where I can let Jesus “increase” by letting go of my need to be seen or in control?
---
Prayer
“Jesus, today become greater in my thoughts, words, and choices.
Let my need for attention and control grow smaller.
Make me content to point to you, even when no one notices me.
When you increase, help me become who you made me to be.
Amen.”
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