Stepping Aside

Joh 3:30 He [Jesus] must become more important, while I become less important.
These words were spoken by John the Baptist shortly before the time of his death. He knew that the fame that he had achieved would be coming to an end. He knew that instead of focus on him and his words, Jesus must be more honored. I believe he had a glimpse that his life might end soon, so that the Lord would be focal in all those that had heard the Good News through him.

John the Baptist led a purposeful life. He had accomplished those things God had sent him to do. He was preparing to decrease, as such as many of us in the last quarter of our lives our doing also. But have we accomplished the works that God has so desired for us to do? Have we proclaimed the name of Jesus to others and prepared the way for others to believe through us? These are the works that God desires: That His Son Christ be glorified. This is now the season of decrease in our life that Christ's life might increase. Can we rest now that we have influence others to believe in the Lord? Or do we yet have that to do in our lives? Because we are old, or frail, or past our prime does not mean that our opportunity to do good and to lift up the name of Jesus is finished. It just means that we focus on less of ourselves and more of God as we prepare to finish the course that God has set out for us.

In the Book of Revelation (14:13) it proclaims that our works do follow us even after our earthly lives have come to an end. This is a perfect display of John the Baptist. This is the works that will follow us. This is the legacy that we can leave behind. This is the accomplishing of the things God so desired to do in our lives.

If we have not yet decreased, ceasing to talk more of ourselves, rather than of Jesus, then we still have a course to finish. We can use this time of life to proclaim the Good News. And people will always remember that about you. I'll always remember when I was a child the neighbors who asked my parents if they could take me to Sunday School each week. They didn't ask my parents to join a neighborhood watch or a Parent Teacher association. They didn't ask them if they would like to go out together to dinner once a week or play cards on Friday night. The life they lived was to proclaim Jesus. To make Him of more importance. They accomplished God's will in their life. Their works do follow them as they allowed Jesus to be more important than them. I still remember their kindness even when all the other neighbors have been forgotten by me.

Have you done the same? Are you preparing for your good works to follow you? What we all have now is time on our hands. Let us use it to glorify God! Remember to decrease so that Jesus might increase. You will be most blessed as you make it a practice to step-up for Jesus as you step aside. Do something of eternal value beginning this week.