Less is More
“This is the assigned moment for him to move into the center, while I slip off to the sidelines.”
John 3:30 - MSG
He was a young pastor who had helped plant a church. The church was successful and had grown tremendously over the previous two years. Over time, it became evident that his particular gifts were better suited to church planting and ministry development than to serving as the church's permanent senior pastor. A new senior pastor took over, and the young man felt like he wasn’t important any longer.
There are seasons in our lives when we might feel unimportant, left out, or deserted somehow. Like the purpose for our lives has vanished into thin air and we aren’t even in the game any longer. Like we’ve been sidelined. Like the coach is going to use someone else now, and we have no idea how we’re going to fit into the big scheme of things.
But in the Kingdom, where Jesus is supposed to be the center of everything, we should be “sidelined.” There should never be a reason for the Lord to be removed from the spotlight of our lives. When others see us, our actions, our attitudes, and hear our words, they should see and hear Jesus.
John the Baptist knew this. He was a cousin to Jesus and actually started his ministry earlier, but the moment came when God revealed to him that Jesus was the Messiah. The One. The Savior Who was to come into the world. In that moment, a deeply humbling awareness came over him, and today’s verse proclaims it loudly: “This is the assigned moment for him to move into the center, while I slip off to the sidelines.” John shifted the focus away from his own preparatory ministry and directed full attention toward the rising ministry of Jesus.
There’s a lesson for us in this declaration. Regardless of who we are or what we are doing for the Kingdom of God, we should always see to it that the Lord is the One who is magnified. Jesus is the One who should be center stage in our lives. None of us should seek the glory that belongs to the King of kings and Lord of lords.
The bottom line in all of this is rooted in humility. We all need to put God first and our egos second. Our human pride, personal ambition, and self-reliance should fade so that Christ's character and purpose can stand out. In order to do this, it’s important to demonstrate a “more of Him and less of me” attitude and allow that to guide our decisions, our thoughts, and especially our hearts.
When serving the Lord, in whatever capacity, our hearts need to lean toward honoring God rather than seeking personal glory. Sometimes God doesn't sideline us because we're no longer useful. He moves us aside so that Jesus can become more visible.
That’s when less is more.
Prayer
Father, thank You for the quiet, holy work You do in our hearts—teaching us to step aside so that Christ may shine more clearly through our lives. Help us release our need for recognition and embrace the joy of letting Jesus take center stage. Shape our desires, soften our pride, and steady our hearts in humility. May our words, our actions, and our attitudes reflect Your Son in every season. Increase Your presence within us today, and let Your glory be what others see.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen…
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