By: Boyd Bailey
“Humble, wise people prepare the way for Jesus to be elevated so others trust, love and obey Him in the process.”
“谦虚、聪明的人为耶稣的提升铺平道路，以便其他人在这个过程中信任、爱护和服从祂。”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – March 17, 2023
He [Jesus] must increase, but I must decrease. He who comes from above is above all. John 3:30-31, NKJV
祂 [耶稣] 必须增加，但我必须减少。从上头来的人高于一切。约翰福音 3:30-31，新和合本
John the Baptist did not stutter in doubt of his role. The unconventional preacher was the forerunner of Jesus, who had complete clarity on Christ as the main attraction. John was the warm-up band for the long-awaited Messiah, Jesus Christ. Bold as he was, his boldness flowed out of decreasing the focus on his ministry and increasing the focus on the Lamb of God, who had come to take away the sins of the world. Great joy came over John as he explained to his disciples the need for humility to defer to the Lord’s salvation and baptism of Christ’s followers. Though Jesus described John as the greatest of prophets…he chose to decrease so that Jesus might increase. John encouraged his disciples to follow Jesus, so their devotion would be to God.
施洗约翰并没有因为怀疑自己的角色而口吃。非传统的传教士是耶稣的先驱，他完全清楚基督是主要的吸引力。约翰是期待已久的弥赛亚耶稣基督的热身乐队。尽管他很大胆，但他的大胆来自于减少对他的事工的关注，而增加对上帝的羔羊的关注，祂来除去世人的罪孽。当约翰向他的门徒解释基督的门徒需要谦卑，以顺服主的救恩和洗礼时，心中充满了喜悦。尽管耶稣将约翰描述为最伟大的先知……他选择减少，以便耶稣增加。约翰鼓励他的门徒跟随耶稣，这样他们就会献身于上帝。
John, though gifted and called by God, was intentional to elevate Jesus’ love to those near him.
约翰虽然有天赋并被上帝呼召，但他有意将耶稣的爱提升到他身边的人。
I watched my friend, after serving 38 years as the founding pastor of the church where he served with humility and graciousness—give over his role and responsibilities to his successor, a much younger man. Why? How? Well, I can only surmise based on his behavior and long-term example of faithful love. His motivation was what was best for the church, not himself. Indeed, what’s best for the whole seems to bless everyone…in essence, God’s will. My colleague in ministry held with an open hand the process of his replacement, as he remained under the authority of those who would have to live under the leadership of his successor. He trusted the Lord, he trusted those he had loved so well for so long, and he trusted the process. Humble, wise people prepare the way for Jesus to be elevated so others trust, love and obey Him in the process.
我看着我的朋友，在作为教会的创始牧师服务了 38 年之后，他以谦逊和仁慈的态度服务——把他的角色和责任交给了他的继任者，一个更年轻的人。为什么？如何？好吧，我只能根据他的行为和忠诚爱情的长期例子来推测。他的动机是对教会最好的，而不是他自己。事实上，对整体最好的事情似乎会祝福每个人……本质上，这是上帝的旨意。我在部里的同事对接替他的过程持开放态度，因为他仍然处于那些必须在他的继任者的领导下生活的人的权威之下。他相信主，他相信那些他深爱了这么久的人，他相信这个过程。谦虚、有智慧的人为耶稣的提升铺平道路，以便其他人在这个过程中信任、爱护和服从他。
“John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me” (John 1:29-30).
“约翰看见耶稣向他走来，就说：”看哪！除去世人罪孽的神的羔羊！这就是我所说的“在我以后有一个人比我更蒙喜爱，因为他在我以先”（约翰福音 1:29-30）
Whatever role in life you have, you have influence (positive or negative) over another. If you are a mom, you have a unique one-of-a-kind influence on your daughter. If you are a dad, you have a special fatherly influence no other man has with your son. Same with your spouse. No one loves and respects you more than the one you are one with in Christ. Elevate Jesus for your spouse by making Him your sole worship, your daily communion, and the love of your life. If you are a team leader at work or a volunteer, just the respect your position holds gives you immediate influence you can build upon or squander. It’s a sober and sacred responsibility to prepare the way for Jesus to be elevated in your life to influence the lives of others to embrace the way of the Lord. As you decrease and Jesus increases, you are free from having to prove yourself…you can be yourself. Your best self is generous to give spiritual and emotional health to others.
无论你在生活中扮演什么角色，你都会对另一个人产生影响（正面或负面）。如果您是一位母亲，您会对您的女儿产生独一无二的影响。如果你是父亲，你就会对你的儿子产生其他男人所没有的特殊父亲影响。和你的配偶一样。没有人比在基督里与你合而为一的人更爱你、更尊重你。通过让耶稣成为你唯一的崇拜、你每天的交流和你生命中的爱，将耶稣提升为你的配偶。如果你是工作中的团队领导或志愿者，那么你的职位所带来的尊重就会让你立即产生影响力，你可以在此基础上建立或挥霍。为耶稣在你的生命中被提升以影响他人的生命来拥抱主的道路而预备道路是一项严肃而神圣的责任。当你减少而耶稣增加时，你不必证明自己……你可以做你自己。最好的自己很慷慨，愿意为他人提供精神和情感健康。
You elevate Jesus by preparing the way for Jesus in your personal preparation of time with Jesus. John the Baptist was a man crying in the wilderness—not just passionate pleas for others to repent, but out of his own repentance from being in the wilderness. It’s out of being in the wilderness places in life that you are prepared to do life. The Spirit prepares you to walk in humility out of the wilderness of pride, where you were stripped of yourself. The Father prepares you to be generous out of your financial wilderness of fear by experiencing His provision. The Son prepares you to be loving out of the wilderness of aloneness, experiencing His intimate presence. Once you exit from the wilderness…transformed…you elevate Jesus…you decrease…He increases. And, beautifully, others see Jesus in you and turn to Him to be loved.
你通过个人准备与耶稣相处的时间为耶稣铺路，从而高举耶稣。施洗约翰是一个在旷野中哭泣的人——不仅仅是热情地恳求别人悔改，而是出于他自己对在旷野中的悔改。正是在生活的荒野中，你才准备好过生活。圣灵预备你谦卑地走出骄傲的旷野，在那里你被剥夺了自我。天父通过经历祂的供应，预备你从恐惧的财务荒野中慷慨解囊。圣子预备你从孤独的荒野中去爱，体验祂亲密的同在。一旦你离开旷野……改变了……你提升了耶稣……你降低了……他增加了。而且，美妙的是，其他人会在你身上看到耶稣，并转向他去被爱。
“John stood with two of his disciples. And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!”The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus” (John 1:35-37).
“约翰和他的两个门徒站在一起。耶稣走路时看着他说：“看哪，神的羔羊！”两个门徒听见他的话，就跟从了耶稣”（约翰福音 1:35-37）。
Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me elevate Jesus in my life to inspire others to find life in Jesus through Christ’s love, and in Jesus’ name, amen.
天父，帮助我在我的生命中提升耶稣，以激励他人通过基督的爱找到在耶稣里的生命，奉耶稣的名祷告！阿们！
Application
Who in my life needs me to elevate Jesus over my desires and accomplishments?