Sunday, March 25, 2012

Cling To Jesus, Not People

He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. -- John 3:30

John the Baptist knew his role and it was to prepare the way for Jesus. He rejected those who wanted to proclaim him the Messiah and focused instead on the mission God had given to him.

Shouldn’t we all be focused on what God has called us to do and not what God has called others to do? And shouldn’t we all live our lives to give greater glory to Jesus and less and less to ourselves?

I recently met a wonderful woman in the midst of a recovery program. She loudly proclaimed her devotion to Jesus. She seemed to finally have grasped the One who could hold her hand and steady her life as she ventured beyond a structured treatment program and into the world.

Shortly before she completed the program, her Sunday school teacher was absent and class members were asked to attend another class. I invited her to our class. She refused to go to any other class, insisting that she was devoted to her teacher. It was only for the one week. There were several class options. She just couldn’t do it.

It was then that I began to wonder how much of her recovery was based on Jesus and how much on the people who had come to represent Jesus to her. The difference likely will mean success or failure for her recovery.

As people, we fail each other repeatedly. It doesn’t matter how hard we try to always be there for each other, to do and say the right things, we can’t and we don’t. We’re humans and we let each other down. Just like her Sunday school teacher had let her down by being absent one week.

This woman moved out-of-state when she completed her recover program. I have no idea how she’s doing. We haven’t heard. All we can do is pray for her, pray that she will truly cling to the One who can save her from the demons that haunt her.

John the Baptist recognized the difference between his mission and what he could do and Jesus’ journey toward the cross. He might not have foreseen all the details, but he knew that Jesus was the Messiah who had come to save us all. One could guide. The other could offer eternal salvation.

It’s important to listen to church leaders and pastors. We can learn a great deal and they can guide us toward a deeper faith and understanding. But it’s far more important to understand the difference between fallible humans and our Heavenly Father. One is an unwavering Rock we cling to in all circumstances. The other will always let us down.