“He must increase, but I must decrease.” — John 3:30
There are certain verses in Scripture that become more than words on a page. They become anchors—truths God continually brings us back to throughout life.
John 3:30 is one of those verses for me.
Over more than thirty years of following Jesus, one of God’s greatest gifts has been helping me connect personally with the people of the Bible. Their stories no longer feel like distant history. They feel familiar. Their victories encourage me. Their failures humble me. Their faith challenges me.
When I read David’s psalms, I hear the cries of a man who knew both triumph and heartbreak. His prayers often become my prayers. His worship becomes my worship.
When I read Paul’s letters, I recognize the tension between the desire to obey God and the ongoing battle with the flesh. His honesty reminds me that following Christ isn’t effortless—it is a daily surrender.
The men and women of Scripture remind me that God has always worked through imperfect people whose greatest desire was simply to know Him more.
Then there is John the Baptist.
John’s ministry was extraordinary. Crowds came from everywhere to hear him preach. He baptized thousands. People wondered if he might even be the Messiah.
Then Jesus arrived.
As Jesus’ ministry grew, John’s began to shrink. His own disciples noticed it. They were concerned that the crowds were leaving John to follow Jesus.
If I’m honest, I understand why they struggled.
Part of me likes recognition. I enjoy encouragement. My pride loves attention more than I’d like to admit. Left unchecked, my heart enjoys having its “halo polished.”
John’s response, however, could not have been more different.
“He must increase, but I must decrease.”
There is no jealousy. No competition. No resentment. Only joy.
John understood that his entire purpose had always been to point people to Jesus. The spotlight was never meant to stay on him.
That’s the calling for every believer.
Our lives are not about building our own platform. They’re about making much of Christ. Every conversation, every opportunity, every success, every failure, every blessing is another chance to point people toward the One who deserves all the glory.
That sounds simple.
Living it is another story.
Every day our flesh whispers, “Make more of yourself.”
Jesus quietly calls us to make more of Him.
John didn’t simply preach those words—he lived them. He continued pointing people to Christ until the very end of his life. Nearly two thousand years later, his simple declaration still calls believers back to humility and worship.
I want that to be true of my life.
Not that people would remember my name.
Not that they would admire what I’ve accomplished.
But that somehow, through my life, my words, and my testimony, they would see Jesus more clearly.
That is the prayer I want to pray every day:
Lord, help me decrease so that You may increase. Let there be less of me and more of You. May my life always point people to Jesus.
-Chuck