John’s heyday was over, he himself was deeply convinced of that. But some people could not understand that he would not be jealous, and to arouse self-pity they tried to provoke him with suggestive remarks: ‘Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan - the one you testified about - look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him!’ But John's answer did not draw attention to him, but even more to Jesus. We can learn a lot of this!
Whenever people come to pity us, let us pray we will give an answer that does not make us the center of attention, but Jesus. This can only be if we - just like John - are deeply convinced that He must become greater, and we must become less. And this is exactly the opposite of what we long for, until we come to love Jesus as much as a bride loves the bridegroom. For we must love someone very deeply before we are willing to lose ourselves to him.
John loved Jesus wholeheartedly, because he knew Who Jesus was, and he testified about Him with joy. His greatest desire was for Jesus to be revealed in His full glory. We often stand in the way of the revelation of the glory of Jesus, because we want people to admire us when we shine in His light. But in this way we never can be His servants to lead others to Him.
If we truly believe in Jesus, we entrust our whole life to Him and are willing to obey Him. And whoever obeys Him, acknowledges that He came from heaven to give us life anew. That life is Jesus Himself! Why then would we assert ourselves, and so remain under God’s wrath, while He gives us Eternal Life when we make way for Him?