Good Morning Friends,
Pride and jealousy are horrible things. We
all fight it. Someone else gets a promotion that we think we deserved. Our
neighbor is able to drive a much nicer car than we do. Our friend moves into a
beautiful new home and we can’t understand how they can afford it and we can’t.
It’s hard to fight feelings of pride and
jealousy, hard to overcome them and accept what we have with a good attitude.
John the Baptist provides a great example for us.
“To this John replied, ‘A man can receive
only what is given him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, “I
am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.” The bride belongs to the bridegroom.
The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of
joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now
complete. He must become greater; I must become less.’” (John 3:27-30)
John recognized that his position was
determined by God and he was content with it. He didn’t seek to become more
than he was given. He wasn’t jealous that Jesus was something more than he was.
When Jesus came along and people turned from John to follow Him, John didn’t fight
to keep them. He willingly faded into the background. He was willing to watch
Jesus become greater at his expense.
That would have been tough. Pride and
jealousy could have kept John from enjoying what he was seeing and rejoicing in
it.
Of course, we’ll never face a situation quite
like John did. But we all face other situations where pride and jealousy
surface. How will you respond to them?
His, by Grace,
Steve
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