READING: Ezekiel 7-9, John 3
I must confess that I most often think of John the Baptist as the forerunner of Jesus, but I haven’t always thought of him as the “friend of the Bridegroom.” Today’s text reminds us through John’s use of a parable that this was how he saw his role: it was to be the bridegroom’s assistant (the “best man” in our day), doing all he could do to support the ceremony and exult with the bridegroom. That friend took pleasure when the bridegroom had consummated the marriage and rejoiced with him at the new union. There was no room in the story for jealousy to take place.
That’s how John saw his role. He was to point to Jesus, direct others to Him, and celebrate when the Son called others to Himself. John may have been the effective, popular wilderness preacher who wore strange clothes, but he still knew the story was not about him. His joy overflowed as he decreased and Jesus increased.
I’m challenged by this picture. I want to make certain I’m always pointing to the Son, and I want to rejoice when I decrease in the process. That’s not always easy.
PRAYER: “Father, make me willing to decrease.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Ezekiel 10-12, Psalm 83, John 4
