Reflections of the day: Mark 1:7

So, today I got to teach the middle school students a lesson from Mark 1:1-8. Together, we studied the life of John the Baptist. We studied his proclamation of the Gospel, his passion for the Gospel, and his humility in declaring the Gospel. It was a powerful study. It blessed my soul to prepare it. One verse still is on my heart...which makes that the verse I want to "reflect" on.

Look at this verse with me. Mark 1:7, "He kept proclaiming, "The one who is coming after me is stronger than I am, and I am not worthy to bend down and untie his sandal straps." Do you see the greatness of Christ reflected in the life of John the Baptist? He was the messenger, foretold from Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3...he was the one that prepared the way for the Messiah! Yet, here, we see the entire spotlight placed on Jesus. WOW... what a testimony. This isn't an abused humility that some like to teach. I've heard humility taught as if I'm completly worthless, hopeless, and having no value... It's hard to think that humility is ONLY that. I see humility simply as the desire for us to decrease as we increase the glory of Christ (John said this in John 3:30). I see humility as our proclamation of HIM, our passion for HIM, and our weakness compared to HIS greatness. John the Baptist had many reasons, I'm sure, to brag. However, he proclaims the glory of Christ in these powerful words...What kind of message do we send? Do we live this message in our daily lives? (For your information, John the Baptist was the only person that Jesus ever said this about, "Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.) Wow!

Please don't get me wrong...I'm a guilty sinner that types this. I believe that pride is an ugly monster and it can truly sneak up on us if we aren't careful. I did a little experiment today. There is a certain shirt that I like to wear. I've only worn it twice now. Both times that I've worn this shirt, I've received several compliments from people in my church. I admit, I put it on today because I liked it when people complimented me. I know, I'm bad! It kind of reminds me of Genesis 37:1-6, when Joseph was given a nice shirt, hopeful future plans...and perhaps bragged about it? Even out of fun, we can see how easy it is to place the spotlight upon ourselves!

Let us all join together and purposely live our lives in efforts to glorify the One that has come and will come again! Let us decrease, so that He may increase.