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He must increase; I must decrease.
We must be willing to let Jesus take center stage in our lives. We often enjoy esteem among at least some of the people that we know because we follow Jesus. We gain a certain credibility and respectability because of him. If not that, even those that are opposed to our beliefs at least have to notice us when we stand our ground. Perhaps even from them we win a grudging respect. Are we willing to let all of this visibility and fame go so that Jesus may be more fully known?
He must increase; I must decrease.
Are we willing to be less popular, less respected, and less trusted if it means that Jesus can be more fully known? Can we allow Jesus to work through even our foolishness and mistakes and weakness? This is key. If our case for Christ requires us to be perfect we are setup to fail. If we really want Christ to increase then our own failures won't stand in his way.
It is only by our commitment to put Christ first that we ourselves are safe from sin.
We know that anyone begotten by God does not sin;
but the one begotten by God he protects,
and the Evil One cannot touch him.
It is precisely the emptying of ourselves in love, not counting equality with God a thing to be grasped, that keeps us from the power of the evil one. It is when we allow Jesus's own heart to be manifest in our lives that we experience the protection of the one begotten by God.
He must increase; I must decrease.
Where are we upstaging Jesus in our own lives? Where are we depending too much on our own ability. Let's surrender those things to Jesus today.
For the LORD loves his people,
and he adorns the lowly with victory.
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