My brother, Mark, was 10 years younger than I. Until he died an untimely death at the age of 32, I often thought (privately, of course) that he was ultimately smarter and physically stronger than I was or would ever be. Except that he died before either of us reached the prime of our respective lives spared me the experience often seen in Scripture of the older brother having to yield to the younger. I think of Jesus' parable of the prodigal son, or of Jacob and Esau. John the Baptizer too is such a figure. But unlike the others, he makes no protest when his ministry is eclipsed by that of Jesus.
It is good to think about this aspect of John's character: his humility, rather than his flamboyance. There is always going to be someone who is smarter, or stronger, or richer, or more influential. We all have need of John's kind of humility, and it need not cancel out our self-esteem.
"How am I doing?" is a question we often want to ask those around us -- wanting affirmation and support, especially in ministry. Sometimes we get it and sometimes we don't. When it doesn't come from outside, though, we must always remember that we have another source of strength: the God of love, the source of all good works.
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