Over the last 20 years or so I've consistently said that my life verse is John 3:30 - He must become greater, I must become less. - I still find myself wrestling with what this verse means to me and why I resonate with it. Here's some random thoughts:
- My name is John, the gospel is John, hmmm, interesting 😇
- When i was in elementary school my favorite time of the day was 3:30 because that's what time we got out of school each day!
- I'm not good at memorization and this is a short verse
- These words were spoken by...wait for it...a guy named "John" (the Baptist)
- Maybe I want people to think I'm both very spiritual and very humble (even if sometimes I'm neither)
More often than not, if pressed to give an answer to why I hold this as my life verse, I say something like this: "Because I know myself pretty well. I like for people to like me. I like getting positive attention. It just so happens that as a pastor, someone hands me a microphone once per week or so and for some reason people come, sit and listen. So I know that I could start thinking that this life, this world, my ministry, all of it revolves around me. But here's the thing, I know it doesn't. I know that everything revolves around the life, ministry and person of Jesus. I want my life, ministry, relationships and world to revolve around Him too. My default, human tendency is to make all of this about me. So I must intentionally and consistently make Jesus greater and me less as best I can."
Somehow God works out a human equation that says this: "If you will love me with all that you are (make Him greater) and love others the way you would want to be loved (make myself less), I will make more of your life than you could possibly imagine!"
So in that heavenly equation: Less is More
So there you go. The title of my blog.
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