22 After this, Jesus and His disciples went into the Judean countryside, where He spent some time with them and baptized. 23 Now John was also baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because the water was plentiful there, and people kept coming to be baptized. 24 (For John had not yet been thrown into prison.) 25 Then a dispute arose between John’s disciples and a certain Jew   over the issue of ceremonial washing. 26 So John’s disciples came to him and said, “Look, Rabbi, the One who was with you beyond the Jordan, the One you testified about—He is baptizing, and everyone is going to Him.” 27 John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but am sent ahead of Him.’ 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom stands and listens for him, and is overjoyed to hear the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must increase; I must decrease. REFLECTIONSWritten by Vinh DangWhen I read these verses, I find myself deeply challenged by John the Baptist’s humility. His disciples are worried that people are leaving him to follow Jesus (v 26), but instead of feeling threatened or insecure, John responds with a calm and confident trust in God’s plan (v 27-30). I realise how often I respond differently. When circumstances change or when someone else seems to succeed in ways I wish I could, I feel a need to compare myself with others. I want to have what is familiar, to hold on to what feels like “mine.” But John reminds me that everything I have is a gift from God, not something I earn or deserve or get to keep forever (v 27).What I find most surprising is John’s joy. He doesn’t simply accept that Jesus must become greater—he celebrates and rejoices Jesus becoming greater and he himself decreasing (v 30). He sees himself as the friend of the bridegroom who is happy just to hear the bridegroom’s voice. This challenges my idea of being joyful about something. I often associate joy with my own success or comfort. John associates joy with Jesus being glorified, even if that means that John must step away from the centre stage. It makes me think of what truly rejoicing looks like. Am I willing to decrease so that Christ can increase?That sentence—“He must increase; I must decrease”—feels like an invitation to trust that God’s plan in Jesus is bigger and better than my own, and it reminds me to ease up on my own desire for status, personal gain and comfort. It also reminds me that my real purpose should come from aligning my life with Jesus, not competing for attention.As I reflect on the passage, I feel encouraged to let humility shape my heart, and to celebrate and rejoice in God’s work, even when it shifts the focus away from me. I want to find joy in making Christ greater in all areas of my life.





























ABOUT THE AUTHORVinh is a member of our Fairfield Evening congregation.

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