Meditation for August 15, 2006

John 3:22-36

By Peter Munson

 

"They came to John [the Baptist] and said to him, 'Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing, and all are going to him.'  John answered, 'No one can receive anything except what is given him from heaven.  You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.   He who has the bride is the bridegroom; the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice; therefore this joy of mine is now full.  He must increase, but I must decrease.'" (John 3:26-30)

 

These few verses raise all sorts of interesting issues - things like jealousy, understanding your calling, and joy.

 

Folks came to John and appealed to his sense of jealousy.  "John, more people are now following this Jesus fellow!"  They thought he would be jealous.  He wasn't.  He wasn't, because he understood the calling he had received from God.  He understood that his calling was different from Jesus', that he was called to be the "friend of the bridegroom", and Jesus was called to be the bridegroom.

 

Both callings were crucial.  John prepared the way for Jesus' entry into his public ministry.  And when that time came, John was not jealous.  On the contrary, he could celebrate. 

 

Part of the reason John could celebrate and be joyful, it seems to me, is that he had done his part well. He was faithful to his calling.  John was no shrinking violet who sat back and let the world come to him.  You recall the unique way that he lived, dressed, and ate, the passion with which he called people to repent, the matter-of-fact way in which he confronted the Pharisees and Sadducees ("You brood of vipers!" - Matthew 3:7).  This was not a man who was used to "decreasing"!  He let his light shine!  And yet, when it was time for Jesus to take center stage, John did not get jealous or run after the disciples who left him to follow Jesus.  Just the opposite - he pointed to Jesus - "Behold, the Lamb of God..." - and said, in effect, "Go!  Get out of here!  That's the one you are supposed to be following!"

 

Sometimes you and I get jealous of another's position, influence, or popularity.  Should I be jealous of Bill Ritter, someone who was a year ahead of me at CU Law School and who is now running for Governor of Colorado?  Should I be jealous of Dean Wolfe and Jim Mathes, Virginia Seminary classmates who are now Bishops of Kansas and San Diego, respectively?  Sometimes there is a little twinge of jealousy inside of me.  But that twinge only comes up inside when I am not feeling good about myself, for some reason.

 

When I am "on my game" and resting in the truth that I am also God's beloved child, and that I have my own unique calling from God, then I can do two things.  I can, first of all, admit the truth that I have a different calling than Bill or Dean or Jim (and it's not to be a Governor or a Bishop!).  I can rejoice in what God has called me to be.  "No one can receive anything except what is given him from heaven."  And second, I can rejoice in their success, and in the fact that they are being faithful to their calling from God.

 

There's another truth that emerges from these verses.  With respect to Jesus, we are ALL called to be friends of the bridegroom.  Each of us has a unique calling, each of us needs to "let [our] light shine before others, so that they may see [our] good works and give glory to [our] Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)

 

Like John the Baptist, we are not called to be shrinking violets.  But it's also true that the One we are to be pointing to is the Bridegroom.  And, in the same way that John celebrated Jesus' ministry, and Jesus celebrated John's, when we see someone nearby being faithful to their calling, we are to rejoice - our joy should be full!  And we should give thanks to God for their gifts, their faithfulness, their service, the fact that they are letting their light shine.

 

Though God calls each of us his Beloved, each one of you has a unique calling from God.  Thank you for your faithfulness.  Thanks for your faithful service to others in Jesus' name.  Thanks for letting your light shine!

 

Christ's peace,

 

Peter+