THE BEST MAN
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Opening Prayer
Light of the World, shine on me and shine through me to show others who you are as I walk in the light.
Read JOHN 3:22–36
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
John Testifies Again About Jesus
22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. 24 (This was before John was put in prison.) 25 An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. 26 They came to John and said to him, “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.”
27 To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less.”[a]
31 The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33 Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. 34 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God[b] gives the Spirit without limit. 35 The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
How would you define ‘greatness’? How do you think God defines ‘greatness’?
As I think about the last few weddings I attended, I can picture the bride, I can recall, more sketchily, the bridegroom, but the best man is just a blur! Despite his lofty title, the ‘best’ man seldom receives much attention! And rightly so.
John the Baptist stood in the position of ‘best man’ to Jesus, the Bridegroom, but some of John’s disciples were unhappy about attention being diverted away from him. Their words seem designed to fan the flames of rivalry: ‘the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him’ (v. 26). Such words might easily have provoked insecurity, envy, or resentment. Baptizing was John’s specialty—the very name by which we know him, ‘John the Baptist,’ derived from it! John’s disciples, like many of us today, measured success by numbers—‘everyone is going to him.’ Yet, although his position as market leader1 seemed to be slipping away, John did not view this as a threat or interpret it as failure.
There is not even the trace of a competitive streak in John. Instead, we see a spirit of humble and joyful contentment in his assertions that ‘A person can receive only what is given them from heaven’ (v. 27) and ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him’ (v. 28). John’s job was waiting and listening for the Bridegroom (v. 29); he was neither threatened nor diminished by this second-fiddle role but found in it his richest and truest fulfillment. Jesus commended John: ‘among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist.’2 John’s greatness lay in becoming ‘less’ so that Jesus would become ‘greater’ (v 30). He was a great ‘best man’ because he recognized who was truly best and then gave his best to proclaim the greatness of Jesus.
Apply
Ask yourself: ‘In all that I say and do, and in how I live, do I make Jesus look good?’
Closing prayer
Lord Jesus, I ask your forgiveness for those times when I do not represent you as I should. I would that others will see you in all I am and do!
1 See Mark 1:5 2 Matt 11:11
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