The season of Advent reminds us of the fact that Jesus, the Son of God, humbled himself and became man. Those who truly worship him will reflect the same attitude. One of the best examples for this is John the Baptist. He was born into a priestly family after an angel announced his birth saying that he would be filled with the Holy Spirit from birth and prepare the way for the Lord. The miraculous circumstances around his birth caused much speculation as to whether he could even be the promised Messiah.

When he was around 30 years old, John started preaching a message of repentance and baptizing people all throughout Judaea. His ministry and influence grew rapidly with thousands of people turning to the Lord, even beyond the borders of Israel (see Acts19).

However, despite his great success, he never forgot that he was only preparing the way for the true King. Thus, when Jesus started his public ministry and people were leaving John to follow him, John was not at all insecure or nervous. Rather, he responded with joy and with the beautiful statement:

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

Today’s passage reveals two keys underlying John’s humble attitude. First of all, he knew that everything he was and had was simply a gift of grace from God (John 3:27). When we stop being grateful, we’re in danger of adopting an entitlement mentality, which in turn, will make it nearly impossible for us to joyfully humble ourselves when our work or influence decreases. The second key shaping John’s joyful humility was that he simply loved Jesus more than himself (John 3:29). I believe this is what Christianity is all about – loving Jesus first.

In summary, joyful humility is a byproduct of a thankful heart that loves Jesus more than anything else.

Application:
· After a difficult year this 2020, what can you be truly thankful for? Spend 20-30 minutes listing everything you can think of.
· Do you love Jesus more than anything else? Ask the Holy Spirit to help you repent and rediscover the joy of his presence.