John Shows the Greatness of Humility
It is expressly stated in John 4:2 that Jesus baptized through His disciples. This controversy arose with a Jew, who was comparing the respective baptisms of John and the Lord. Perhaps he stirred John's followers with jealousy as he contrasted the crowds that gathered round the new teacher with the waning popularity of the old. But the Baptist had no sense of being aggrieved. His answer is one of the noblest ever made by human lips: “My work has been definitely assigned to me. It has been enough for me to fulfill it. The rapture of the Bridegroom and His success in wooing hearts is not for me. It is enough to behold His joy. He must increase, and I must decrease, but I sorrow not. Indeed, my joy is filled to the brim because of His success.”
What a blessing it would be if we could enshrine in our hearts this immortal maxim: A man can receive nothing except it have been given him from heaven! What we have is God's gift; let us hold it reverently. What another person has is God's gift to him; we have no right to find fault with His dealings with another of His servants. Our orbits are distinct; all we have to do is to shine our brightest where He has placed us, confident that He knows best.