3.8 - The Joy of Insignificance
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His Farewell Address
I wish I could've been there to see and hear John the Baptist deliver what could be called his farewell address. Only the apostle John included this in his story of Jesus, and he does so to pay tribute to his former master and rabbi. I would love to have heard the inflection in The Baptist’s voice, seen his face, and watched his body language when he said his most famous line, "he must increase, but I must decrease.” Only then could I sense this hero's huge and humble heart modeling an often overlooked spiritual principle.
Let’s examine his speech as we close out the third chapter of John, specifically verses 25 through 36.
25 Now a discussion about purification arose between John’s disciples and a Jew. 26 They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” 27 John answered, “No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven. 28 You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.’ 29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom who stands and hears him rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. For this reason, my joy has been fulfilled. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.31 The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, yet no one accepts his testimony. 33 Whoever has accepted his testimony has certified this, that God is true. 34 He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in his hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not see life but must endure God’s wrath.This address to his disciples is John’s confirmation of what Jesus has quietly taught Nicodemus in private and others in public. Watch his language: receive from heaven, from above, what he has seen and heard; Father loves the son, Father gives the spirit, whoever believes in the son, and eternal life. But this confirmation encases that spiritual principle that is unfolding in my consciousness. “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
Learning to Decrease
This principle was highlighted for me because of a slight tactical error when retiring and moving to a small town where we knew no one. It was as if I had rounded the corner and come face-to-face with my insignificance, stepping out of a vibrant career with some level of importance into a realm of irrelevance. To those I met, it was as if I wore a label that said “RETIRED,” which translated as “non-essential.” This bruised my plus-size ego. If I had a do-over, I would move first and retire later.
The lesson is clear. At some point, we all have to befriend our impending insignificance. Think of the Wedding Director in the last hours before the wedding. Once the ceremony is over and the reception begins, their significance diminishes. The Baptist understood this and showed us the proper way to meet this newly arriving irrelevance – with joy. He had lived his life from his spiritual consciousness, carried out his purpose, and invested his significance in the next generation. He had seen the crowds come to him and disciples follow him, and now he knew that it was time to release them to follow Jesus. He did so expectantly, joyfully.
This helped me understand that my role is evolving to focus on enhancing the lives of my children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. As I age, I am to gently move off-camera, so to speak, and joyfully build sets for the sequels. What can I do today that will help them tomorrow? I can love them unconditionally, accept them as they are, and applaud their best efforts. I can implant in them a deep sense of their unique skills and fan the flames of their spirit with my spirit. With this support, they will confidently walk through each day knowing they were loved by the generations that came before them. Having done that, I may then skip into obscurity.
“Purpose Statement: I am living a long and vibrant life that enhances the lives of my children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. ”
Now, back to the Baptist. Let's examine his commencement address closely to see if it aligns with the principles we've learned so far.
First, let's examine the relationships between word pairs used: God and Word, God and Messiah, God and “whom he sent,” and Father and Son. They all represent the idea of a Source and what comes from it. The creator brings forth creation, just as the father brings forth the son. Jesus urges us to believe that he came from the creator and that we did, too. This bold belief is pivotal to understanding our place and purpose in the world and fulfilling the life we were meant to live.
In her poem " O Darkness, " Denusha Laméris writes, "How hidden is the sacred, quickening in the dark behind the visible world. That which I cannot fathom. And in whose image I am made.
The Baptist Confirms
Verses 27 through 36 read like a conclusion of the first three chapters, which lays the groundwork for "the real identity of Jesus" before John moves on to what Jesus teaches and does. Let's walk through some of them:
27. “No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven.” To live our spiritual life means to follow the promptings within our consciousness.
30.“He must increase, but I must decrease.” Love always carries an element of self-sacrifice.
31. “The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. The one who comes from heaven is above all.” His spiritual consciousness, from above, is contrasted with man's physical understanding, showing its greater importance. Notice he says “above all” twice.
32. “What he has seen and heard” means out of consciousness. “No one accepts” means they cannot receive it with their "physical" understanding. “Eyes but do not see " means they just can’t get it.
33. “Whoever has accepted his testimony has certified this, that God is true.” By trusting in what Jesus said and living as he did, some proved that the creator of the universe is true, self-evident, and real. The word translated as “True” here means “does not escape notice.” He is “not–unnoticeable or most evident.” John says those who have opened their minds to this audacious idea and embraced it view the Creator as the most unavoidable and prominent being. Those who have accepted this testimony can hear and see the Creator everywhere and are given access to the creative energy to perform acts of grace and truth, which may seem miraculous and unnatural at times.
34. “He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure.” If Jesus comes from the Creator, then he speaks the words of the Creator without any limitations. John shows this is not a physical phenomenon but a limitless spiritual one.
35. “The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in his hands.” To show how natural this is, John uses the example of a father-and-son relationship—simply the natural order of things on earth and, therefore, in heaven. Fathers give authority to sons.
36. “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not see life but must endure God’s wrath.” In a single line, John expresses his “bottom line”: those who operate from a spiritual consciousness are empowered with creative energy to carry out acts of love, resulting in a life enriched with the vitality of the creator (Zoe) both now and forever. Conversely, those who operate solely from a physical consciousness will act in self-interest and self-preservation and ultimately face the consequences of their actions - actions that inherently contain their own punishment.
John is not telling me what to believe but rather how to believe and, in turn, what to do. I will follow the example of Jesus and spend time in silence, recognizing that the same intelligence and energy that created the universe is also the source of my being.Make it stand out
Even as I write this, I can hear a whisper (perhaps from the serpent) urging me, "No, no, no, you don't need this. You're doing just fine the way you are." At times like this, I have to remind myself that just as physical DNA informs my body, the creator’s intelligence informs my mind. Only with this knowledge comes the energy to act, to push beyond the resistance. By carrying out acts of love, truth, and grace, I will experience joy and peace.
What Does This Look Like
For me, the steps of this daily practice are:
· Silence
· Observe thoughts
· Watch, Question & look for insight
· put insight into your experience (action)
· Review results (understanding)
· Refine as needed
It is that simple and that daily. The proof is in the practice.
I watch for improvement as I practice. I should become a more selective listener and accurate “doer." Over time, I should develop what an old friend of mine, Willie Mae Arnold, used to call “a made up my mind, and a do right heart.”
Key Takeaways
I must learn to “decrease with joy” by investing in the next generations.
Operating from spiritual consciousness will trigger the creative energy to carry out acts of love
Practice daily and push beyond the resistance
"What if I'm urged to do something that goes against my current customs?" We'll see how Jesus handles this question in the next segment, as we move to chapter 4.
