Learning from John the Baptist: "He must become greater; I must become less"

Today I read the sad account of John the Baptist beheaded by King Harold. What a waste!

His mother Elizabeth's conception was nothing short of a miracle:
“The Lord has done this for me” (Luke 1:25)

His father Zachariah, a temple priest, knew even at John's birth that he was destined to live a life of an evangelist for Jesus the Savior:
"And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace." (Luke 1:76-79)

Although he was to have disciples of his own, he was careful to point them to Jesus Himself:
"I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him. The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less." (John 3:28-30)

He was not afraid to speak out against evil, which ultimately led to his beheading (Mark 6:14-29), the account of which I read today. Gotquestions.org has a nice write up about the life of John the Baptist and what we should learn from him. I have summarized the key points with my own reflection here:

• John’s adult life was characterized by blind devotion and utter surrender to Jesus Christ and His kingdom. John’s voice was a “lone voice in the wilderness” (John 1:23) as he proclaimed the coming of the Messiah to a people who desperately needed a Savior. Am I living a life characterized by a single-minded devotion to Jesus, despite living in a culture that is mostly blind to His love?
• John’s own coming was foretold over 700 years previously by another prophet. Isaiah 40:3-5  predicted God’s master plan in action as God selected John to be His special ambassador to proclaim His own coming. God has a plan for me too. Much of this plan has been made clear to me through His Word. His eternal purpose will be fulfilled. I would received my share of blessings when I live a life according to His purpose and trusting in His promises.
• John lived a rugged life in the mountainous area of Judea, between the city of Jerusalem and the Dead Sea. It is written that he wore clothes made out of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist. His diet was a simple one—locusts and wild honey (Matthew 3:4). John lived a simple life as he focused on the kingdom work set before him. Can I say that about my life? Am I preoccupied by worldly leisure and ignore the important work God has prepared for me?
• John spoke very boldly to the religious leaders of the day, the Pharisees and the Sadducees, calling them a “brood of vipers” and warning them not to rely on their Jewish lineage for salvation, but to repent and “bear fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matthew 3:7-10). People of that day simply did not address leaders, religious or otherwise, in this manner for fear of punishment. But John’s faith made him fearless in the face of opposition. I must learn to distinguish what is my life in Christ and my religious life. The former gives life but the latter brings death! Even though I may be part of a church body but what is important is my life in Jesus shared with a community of believers.
• As previously mentioned in this blog, John made clear to his disciples that he was merely a messenger sent by God to proclaim the truth. His message was simple and direct: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” (Matthew 3:2). He knew that once Jesus appeared on the scene, his work would be all but finished. He willingly gave up the spotlight to Jesus saying, “He must become greater; I must become less (John 3:30). Perhaps there is no greater example of humility than the one demonstrated by both Jesus and John in Matthew 3:13-15. As I get more involved in ministries I must be reminded to be humble. I must avoid telling myself "I must become greater and Jesus becoming less". Learn humility from John the Baptist!
• John shows us how to stand firm in our faith no matter what the circumstances. He lived in an occupied country so had to be aware that anything contrary to utter devotion to the king or emperor was asking for trouble. Yet his message was unchanging, bold and strong. It was John’s belief, his message, and his continual rebuke of King Herod that landed him in prison and his ultimate execution by beheading. As Christians we all will have our faith put to the test, and we will either falter in our faith or, like John, cling to Christ and stand firm in our faith to the end. Paul reminded Timothy that “everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). But for many of us who live in freedom, persecution takes on a very mild form. Will I learn from John the Baptist when I faced with any form of persecution?