John 3:22-23 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized.
Have you ever been ginning along in whatever ministry you were doing, only to have someone else come along and start doing it as well? Here you thought your were doing God’s will, you seemed to be making a difference and people were taking notice of your efforts. Why would God send someone else? Had you failed? It is human nature to be competitive, and that opens the door for pride, doubt and the devil.
John the Baptist had the right answer. He was going to keep on doing what God had instructed him to do, until he heard otherwise. He didn’t pack it up after Jesus was baptised and the dove descended and say, “Well, I’m done here.” He wasn’t even jealous when he heard Jesus was now baptizing as well. I surmise, John the Baptist and God has already has a long conversation about this. John knew God’s will for him, and he knew God still had use for him for however long He deemed. He also knew one more important thing – it was all about Jesus, not him.
If God deems two of you, or three or four, should all be doing the same thing to spread the Kingdom, so be it. Our plumb line for measurement should not be each other, but God. It is all about Jesus. Support each other, instead of letting humanness get in the way. Pray with and for each other. And above all, give honor where it is due – to the Lord to whom you serve. When you have been faithful in this little thing, He will grant you both more work for His glory and prepare you to do it. Then, what a joy it will be when you stand hand in hand in front of the throne in Heaven and He says, “Well done, good and faithful servants. Well done.”
