Given Without Measure

After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he spent some time there with them and baptized. John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim because water was abundant there; and people kept coming and were being baptized—John, of course, had not yet been thrown into prison.

Now a discussion about purification arose between John’s disciples and a Jew. They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” John answered, “No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven. You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.’ He who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. For this reason my joy has been fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.”

The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. The one who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, yet no one accepts his testimony. Whoever has accepted his testimony has certified this, that God is true. He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but must endure God’s wrath. John 3:22-36 

Being a parent of you children is a constant worry and a constant joy. Their safety and health is always a concern, as is their learning and need for food and rest. They wake up exhausted parents in the middle of the night and refuse sleep in the evening. They also come running to be held and to give kisses. They hold back nothing. Being a parent of adult children has other worries and joys. Seeing your offspring thrive and find good spouses and companions as well as having grandchildren is a true joy. Their falls and trials, their worries and broken hearts become our worries and fodder for prayer. Loving for me means being joyfully in the background as others thrive.

It is hard to imagine the competing baptizers at Aenon near Salim. John's disciples want to know what's going on since John had probably been out there baptizing for years before Jesus showed up. Yet John knew there was more to the story and he understood that the divine love and command he received called him to fall back at the arrival of Jesus. These passages were written for the infant church, to teach them to love by taken a step back, by making room for more love. We are called to do our part, happy when others are at the center, rejoicing in a posture of standing with another.

Today I ask God to help me be loving in support and encouragement of others. May we serve God by serving others, making room and giving them a place to thrive.