He must increase, but I must decrease. John 3:30 (NKJV)

This verse used to make me feel small and insignificant. “I must be useless, sin-ridden, incapable… I must decrease because I am bad. Jesus must increase because he is good.”

I was paralysed with fear and weighed down with the burden of having to “do better” in order to be acceptable. “I am lowly and unworthy, but He is holy and righteous…“

The view that God takes pity on us and saves us because he can’t stand the state we are in has done so much damage to people's hearts. God loves us that’s why he saves us. While we were still sinners, covered in shame, unworthy and not asking for forgiveness, Christ died for us. In the words of Tom Cruise (Jerry McGuire), God “completes” us…

This verse isn’t about you being diminished so that God can be exalted.

One day, Jesus and John the Baptist were baptising people in the same lake. More people were flocking to Jesus than were congregating around John and John’s disciples were getting jealous of Jesus's larger crowd. They complained, but John remained calm and confident. He explained to them that his purpose was to herald Jesus, to make a way, prepare the people for what would come next… And his job was done. He explained that it was now Jesus’ time to baptise and teach and fulfil the prophecies of old. John was passing the baton – “He must increase, I must decrease…” It was like he was saying “I must step aside as I have fulfilled this part of my destiny, and its time for Jesus to fulfil His.”

He says,

“He who has the bride is the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled.”

John is talking about comparison and significance. His disciples were jealous that Jesus was attracting a greater crowd. It’s not about who gets the biggest crowd… It’s about being true to yourself, true to your calling and finding God in the middle of it all. Then watching others do the same. It was John knowing when to speak and when to let someone else take over. And that these changes in his vocation did not affect his value or impact according to God.

Don’t delete yourself to fit Jesus in. Recognise that all of who you are, every nook and cranny of your life is filled with God. Let it overflow with faith, hope and love. He fulfils you, not subtracts you. It’s been His plan all along that the beautiful collision of the ordinary and the extraordinary, the natural and supernatural would be the grandest, most glorious miracle of all.

You do your bit and allow the Divine to shine through it. Side by side, in sacred partnership, as it should be.

That's real increase.

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