Hi ~

In case the quote in the subject line is unfamiliar, it’s from John 3:30, and it’s told to us about how small we should be. Jesus is big. We are small.

It’s true, isn’t it?

Growing as a believer means less of me, more of Him. Right?

And it means we’re supposed to just keep shrinking and shrinking until we’re nearly invisible, right? Or even better, actually invisible. A tiny speck. Right?

My friend, it doesn’t work, and it’s a recipe for abuse enabling. Have you noticed?

But that doesn’t mean this Scripture is wrong. It’s true, actually.

We just need to read it in context and keep in mind the Rule of Pronouns, as I so often emphasize.

(The Rule of Pronouns asks who the pronouns are referring to, instead of just assuming they’re referring to us.)

This statement was declared by John the Baptist. God had brought him to the nation of Israel as a prophet, a forerunner, the preparer of the way. After all that nation had gone 400 years without a prophet, and now there was one on the scene. It was all everybody was talking about.

But once THE WAY showed up, John was supposed to bow out of the way.

There was a time when everybody was talking about John the Baptist. Nobody had heard of Jesus.

But John knew that as Jesus "ascended," he himself would "descend." This was true, until ultimately he was imprisoned and beheaded.

"He must increase, but I must decrease."

This statement is very specific to John the Baptist.

How does it apply to us?

I contend that it applies spiritually in no way. That’s not what it’s about at all. It does not apply directly to us, any more than any part of John the Baptist’s life applies directly to us.

We study his life as an example of one who faithfully followed through and was willing to move out of the way when it was time.

Then we can contrast that with the Pharisees, who were NOT willing to move out of the way when it was time. They were NOT willing to point others to Jesus.

There is much to learn from the life of John the Baptist. But a spiritual lesson about us becoming spiritually smaller and smaller is not one of those lessons. If that lesson is in the Bible, we’re going to need to find it someplace other than this Bible verse.

And it’s not there, my friend.

You may have experienced some cognitive dissonance about wanting to do something more public for God, but wondering how to do that when you’re supposed to “decrease.”

I’ve been there. I went through that whole struggle myself. What a relief to find that I can proclaim something beautiful for the Lord without feeling like I just need to be small and quiet and try to disappear.

Untwisting Scriptures is part of my work that I’m delighted to do.

You have important work to do too. And you don't have to disappear in order to do it.

With you for standing up and pointing others to Jesus,

Rebecca