15. John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'" 16. From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. 17. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.

The Apostle John began his gospel account introducing us to the light of the world. The one who was the light bearer was John the Baptist. People came to him to learn humility, repentance and a desire to commit to God. John told them clearly he was not the Messiah and when the glory of Jesus was seen he kept the spotlight on Jesus and not himself.

Some time ago Braham High School did the musical production of  Godspell, a presentation mostly taken from the Gospel of Matthew. I was impressed. I listened to the lyrics of one song, “You are the light of the world, but if that light’s under a bushel, its lost something kind of crucial. You gotta stay bright to be the light of the world.” It continues, “You are the salt of the earth, but if that salt has lost its flavor, it ain’t got much in its favor. You can’t have that fault and be the salt of the earth. So let your light so shine before me, let your light shine, O that they might know some kindness again..”

In today’s passage John the Baptist was pointing people to Jesus, not to himself. That is what a witness does. It is as if he is holding the spot light to focus the attention on Jesus, the true light who has come into the world of darkness. There was a time the attention was on John who proclaimed the message, but it did not stay there.

When we do good works in the Spirit of the Lord, folks may be impressed or helped by our acts of kindness, but the purpose is to also refocus the attention on the true light. Our call is not to take the glory but point to God and say as Paul did. “It is not I but Christ who works in me.”

As we humble ourselves before the Lord, we find God uses us in inconspicuous and unimpressive ways for His glory. That card of kindness, that phone call of compassion, that helping hand to a co-worker is the way God wants to be seen as we gain a hearing for the One who gives eternal love.  

Applicaiton: Will you show kindness today that the light of Jesus might be the focus of what makes you tick?

Prayer:   Lord, God, teach me to serve you in full humility and service to You.   All done only for Your Glory, fixing my eyes on Jesus, the authro and perfector of my faith