More and Less

It may sound like a misspeak, "more and less," as the common refrain is always, "more or less."  It only seems reasonable that we must choose between the two.  One is either gong to be more or less not more and less.  It would seem axiomatic that their must be a choice between the two.

Of course, in America, our instinct is to choose more.  We do want fries with that.  And, by the way, we want them Super Sized!  We want bigger, better, faster, brighter, extra - we want the works.  We want it all and a bag of chips.  We not only want more, we want to be more.

We want a name for ourselves.  We want to be recognized.  We want to be important.  At the very least, we want our "15 minutes of glory."  We want something to point to that points out our unique value, our separation from the herd.  We want center stage.

John the Baptist, however, did not want the spotlight.  He did not want the glory.  He did not want to be pointed out and set apart from the rest.  In bold relief, he wanted to blend into the background, to be one who brought others to glory not bring glory to himself.  In particular, he wanted to direct people to Christ and away from himself.

In John's words, "He must become greater; I must become less" (Jn 3:30).  John's whole life was to be "the voice of one calling in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way for the Lord'" (Jn 1;23).  His life's work and passion was to blaze a trail that led to Jesus, to be the one who helped to open eye to see the Lord, not to be seen.

Funny thing, because he did not seek his own glory, because he desired to deny self and bring glory to the Lord, John the himself became unforgettable and he was given a place of glory in his own right.  As Jesus put it, "Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist" (Mt 11:11).

John was truly more and less.  Because he chose to lose his life for the glory of Christ, "he found it" (Mt 10:39).   Although counterintuitive, it is nonetheless true that humility is the path to honor.  We become more as we strive to be less.  Jus' Say'n.