John the Baptist, when asked who he was simply stated, "I am the voice of the one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way of the Lord.'"
When asked who I am, I would probably mention people i associate with, what my major is, what i'm planning to do with my life, etc: things that people value in the typical American culture. But John didn't need to affirm his position to the priests and Levites by speaking of his associations, he didn't need to mention his education, or impress by stating his future life goals. No. He spoke in the present, that he was the voice of the one who called him in the desert, to make straight the way of the Lord.
My name is Daniel, and I was born to make straight the way of the Lord, as is everyone reading this. Perhaps this looks a little different today, as Jesus has already come once, but he promises to come again, and until he does he has told us to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything Christ has commanded us.
For some reason though we often forget that our purpose is this simple. Perhaps because we've complicated it. The Church is filled with competitors more often than confessor.
One could have a really 'good' ministry job that provides a high salary, good facilities, large attendance results, and be looked at highly as being very good at what he/she does; while another could have a really 'good' ministry where they work in the slums, no pay, and people aren't coming to Christ, and they can be considered a real trooper.
Pride can be found in both.
Both of these ministries are needed ministries, but when we're doing them to reflect our worth, they have no worth. Somehow in the midst of striving to be the best we can be for Christ, we often get caught in comparing "our ministry" to other's, and we forget "our ministry" is God's; we're preparing the way for something greater than ourselves.
John's disciples couldn't understand that John and Jesus were on the same team. They said, "Rabbi, the man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan-the one you testified about-well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him."
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."
Whatever ministry we do finds its value in Christ alone; therefore, we must realize that we serve one Christ and hence we are all part of the same body. So whether we're preparing the way of the Lord, or simply preparing the way for another member of the body to prepare the way of the Lord, we can learn a lot from John's final words to his disciples in reference to Jesus' rising ministry:
"He must become greater; I must become less."
-John 3:30
:)
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