No Competition

Competition is a big part of our culture. From business buildings to sports stadiums, people are constantly competing to see who is best. As Christians, however, God has not called us to compete. He encourages us to support and cheer each other on in our life’s calling, even if others may seem to be better than us.

A good example of this in the Bible was John the Baptist. He was the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth, an elderly couple whom God supernaturally caused to conceive (Luke 1). John the Baptist was also Jesus’ cousin. God ordained him to prepare the way for Jesus’ ministry by preaching repentance and baptizing those who repented. He was a powerful, anointed leader who fulfilled his assignment with honor.

With all the attention he received, John could have easily become puffed up with pride. But because of his integrity and godliness, he gave us an example of true humility—without denying who he was or caving to competition.

 

John Was Confident in Who He Was

Not everyone understood John the Baptist. One day, some Jews sent some people to ask who he really was. At that moment, John could have claimed to be something or someone that he was not. He preached a great sermon and had many followers. He could have received glory from the people and increased his following. Instead, He chose to resist pride and deceit and made it clear who he was and no more. He had confidence in who he was and what God called him to do—without embellishing the details.

Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No” Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” He said: “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said” (John 1:19-23, NKJV, emphasis added).

 

John Was Not Intimidated by Who He Was Not

John made it clear who he was, but he also made it clear who he was not. He was unintimidated or threatened by the fact that he was not Jesus. As Jesus’ cousin, he was familiar with Jesus’ life and upbringing. Regardless of that familiarity, he submitted himself to his cousin—and soon-to-be Savior—and pointed everyone to Jesus. He recognized and embraced his role as the forerunner to God’s Son. In the process of confirming who he was not, John still held fast to who he was. He confidently, yet humbly, confessed his calling while still bringing attention to the One He was doing it for.

Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose” (John 1:24-26, NKJV).

 

John Recognized from Where His Calling Came

It would be understandable if John had developed an inferiority complex because Jesus was greater and more anointed than him. In the end, Jesus also had more followers. But because John’s value and calling came from heaven, John was confident. He knew he couldn’t do anything apart from the power given to him by God. He followed Jesus’ example in this because even Jesus later said, “I can of Myself do nothing” (John 5:30).

Then there arose a dispute between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purification. And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!” John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him’ (John 3:25-28, NKJV, italics added).

 

John Glorified Jesus

Not only did John talk about who God called him to serve, but he also broadcasted his cousin’s presence when Jesus arrived on the scene. To increase his humility, he said, “He [Jesus] must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30, NKJV). He went on to say that his “joy was fulfilled” because he had completed his calling as forerunner to the Son of God (John 3:20, NKJV). Or, as the New Living Translation puts it,  “I am filled with joy at his success.” He knew his role was not to broadcast himself but to magnify Jesus.

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ I did not know [see] Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.” And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not know [see] Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God” (John 1:29-34, NKJV, brackets added).

 

John Received Honor

God didn’t overlook John’s faithfulness. Just like John gave honor to Jesus, Jesus gave honor to John. He recognized his cousin as an honorable man of God and testified of John’s position, saying he was greater than even Elijah.

As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.’ Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he” (Matthew 11:8-11, NKJV).

 

Though our calling may not be to stand in the Jordan River and cry “prepare the way of the Lord,” God has called us to use our gifts and life assignments for His glory—without competition. We may not realize it, but pride sets in when we treat life as a contest. That pride doesn’t just come when we want to be better than someone else. It can also manifest when we feel like we’re not good enough. If we lower our worth below who God says we are, we are believing our own opinion over God’s—a sign of pride. Both logics are an insult to God and His choice for our lives. The Word of God makes it clear that we should not question the way God made us.

“What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, ‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’ Does the pot exclaim,  ‘How clumsy can you be?’ How terrible it would be if a newborn baby said to its father, ‘Why was I born?’ or if it said to its mother, ‘Why did you make me this way?’” This is what the Lord says—the Holy One of Israel and your Creator: “Do you question what I do for my children? Do you give me orders about the work of my hands? I am the one who made the earth and created people to live on it. With my hands I stretched out the heavens. All the stars are at my command” (Isaiah 45:9-12, NLT).

This kind of discontent is what got the devil thrown out of heaven. The devil compared himself to a god and was dissatisfied with being the head of worship in heaven. He was full of pride, and it led to his downfall (Ezekiel 28, Revelation 12). Without fail, pride always leads to someone’s crash and burn (Proverbs 16:18). Whether physical or spiritual, we will suffer and fail at God’s purpose for our lives.

God doesn’t want us to be in pride, but He does want us to be confident in how He made us and in what He’s called us to do. We won’t find timidity in this confidence because God hasn’t given us a spirit of timidity, or fear (2 Timothy 1:7). Unfortunately, people may mistake that confidence for pride. This confidence, however, is simply knowing who we are in Christ and living through God’s empowerment. While pride says we are who we are because of our ability, true humility brings God glory because that’s the way He chose to make us.

God placed us on the planet to bring joy and glory to God. Without Him, we wouldn’t exist or have a purpose in life. As we read before, even Jesus, the Son of God, couldn’t do anything without God’s power backing Him up. And just like John and Jesus, God the Father will honor us like He honored both men for fulfilling their call (Philippians 2:9-11).

In the end, we all answer to God. We want to hear, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord” (Matthew 25:21, KJV). It’s not how big we make it in the world’s eyes, but how faithful we are in God’s eyes. When it’s God’s power enabling us, people will be drawn to not just us, but to the presence of our Creator.

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me (John 12:32).