URC Daily Devotion Friday 16 May 2025

After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he spent some time there with them and baptized. John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim because water was abundant there; and people kept coming and were being baptized— John, of course, had not yet been thrown into prison. Now a discussion about purification arose between John’s disciples and a Jew.  They came to John and said to him, ‘Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing, and all are going to him.’  John answered, ‘No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven.  You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, “I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.”  He who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. For this reason my joy has been fulfilled.  He must increase, but I must decrease.’
 
Reflection
 
The UK is great at inventing sports but other countries are better at playing them. Cricket, rugby, football (probably tiddlywinks as well, but I don’t know) even the conker world-champion is an American.
 
I can’t decide whether I should be annoyed (on behalf of us all of course, I’m not going to be a voice crying out in the wilderness) that we have to accept that others become better at things that we consider ‘ours’, or whether I should take pride in the fact that others have taken the baton from us (to throw in another sport metaphor) and are improving on what we we’re doing.
 
John the Baptist wasn’t in the least bit bitter. Indeed we read that he rejoiced. He had paved the way and gladly took a step aside when his cousin came along, because he knew, despite his years of experience, that his cousin was just better at it.
 
I wonder how gracious we are when someone better comes along? Or how willing we are to let someone with different ideas try and implement them?
 
I reckon children and young people come to church for one of two reasons – either they’re made to come (and, let’s be honest, that’s not really a long term thing – kids grow up) or they feel that they are valued for who they are and what they can bring. How often do we deny them the opportunities to have meaningful involvement because we are not ready to take a back seat and pass on the baton to a younger generation?
 
I reckon John the Baptist welcomed the chance to rest. What are we so afraid of that we don’t welcome it, too?
 
Prayer
 
Inspiring God,
You have shown us the way and commission us to show that way to others.
Give us the humility to recognise that others may be better,
the grace to stand aside and let others share their talents,
and the peace to bask in a job well done,
and joy in seeing our efforts being improved upon. Amen