Friday, May 23- John 3:30

hi everyone and Happy Friday!!

There is something unnerving about being around a person who thinks they are better than those around them. They are always right, have the best ideas, always bragging about their abilities and possessions while putting others down. How frustrating is it to be around people like that?(I'm getting tense just hinking about it!) Sometimes, those people are family members- so, you can't always avoid them- you just stay silent and let them do their thing. But, when it comes to non family- you see them coming and take a quick exit somewhere...anywhere. You have thoughts like, "Plllleeease, give yourself a break!" or for some of you, you may actually find yourself jealous and wishing you were more like them.
What does a Christian who has this proud presence about them look like? They might be in ministry or in leadership- often called upon by leaders above them. They might be highly educated in theology or an expert of the Bible- acting like they have the answer for everything. A Christian teenager could be simply acting like they are better than their non Christian friends- like their friends aren't worthy of the same forgiveness and salvation they have in Christ. Some Christians may come across like their relationship with God is better than others, as though they've 'arrived.' Maybe they try to gain all the credit for the 'changes' in their lives or they are so caught up in their own world that they don't even see the needs of others around them. Does any of this sound familiar?

Today's verse is very interesting.
John, the writer, portrays an amazing amount of humility here. John was one of the twelve disciples and loved deeply by Jesus. Although Jesus' love is clearly communicated in other books of the Bible, in the book of John it is the central theme- probably because his own experience of Jesus' love was so strong and personal.
John could have very easily become full of himself, acting like he was the best of the twelve, pushing them aside, grasping at first privileges. And that could have trickled down into his ministry where he would've put more emphasis on his importance as a loved disciple than on what he was supposed to be doing for God's Kingdom. But, as you read in this verse, John chose to be the opposite. He chose humility- why? I think it was because John had a full understanding of who Jesus was and that automatically put his importance (or lack thereof) on a much lower level. This becomes clear in the next verse:
"He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. I am of the earth, and my understanding is limited to the things of the earth, but He has come from heaven."

I think when a person does not have a true and deep understanding of who Jesus is- I mean allllll that he is- and experience Him for real in their life, then that person just might live their life with their priorities messed up, blinded by their pride, and losing out on the true God-given purpose for their lives.

If you are like the person I described earlier- then you are dealing with pride- and that is a serious issue. You have to recognize the pride in your life and get rid of it by submitting to the sovereignty of God. Have the willingness to decrease in importance, as John did, and live in the kind of humility that comes from understanding your limitations and knowing that God doesn't have any.

I love you guys and pray for you constantly,
Pam S.