Bridegroom

Tomorrow is my anniversary. My Shorty and I have been married for fourteen years. Today we are dropping the Crew off with my parents and leaving for an overnight stay near where we had our honeymoon. So I've been thinking about weddings. Every year for the last fourteen years, we have done something to celebrate our marriage. But not once in any of those years have we spent time talking about how great our best man was. He did his job as best man, and is still a dear friend, but the best man is not the focal point of a wedding or marriage.

I struggle with wanting to be the center of things. I want to be noticed and praised. And I have been convicted by John the Baptist's words "He must increase, but I must decrease." I'm cool with Jesus increasing as long as I get to increase too. Which is foolish, but there it is. I'm a narcissistic fool.

As I read through John last week, I noticed that part of the reason that John the Baptist was able to make such a profoundly abnormal statement to his disciples was because he had a proper understanding of who he was. He understood that he was a "friend of the bridegroom". He was the best man. The bride was not for him. The wedding was not about him.

And I was encouraged for ministry. Dear Christian, dear pastor or teacher, dear brother or sister, whatever your capacity in ministry (and if you are a believer, you are doing some kind of ministry) remember that you are the "best man". The bride (the church) is not for you. The kingdom is Christ's. The wedding is about him. Take joy in your Bridegroom.

Now a discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew over purification. And they came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness--look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him." John answered, "A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, 'I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.' The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease."
John 3:25-30