"He must increase, but I must decrease."---John 3:30

"He must increase, but I must decrease."---John 3:30

It hit me with stunning clarity in the middle of a Bible study session I was leading, and when it did, it left me reeling for days. Then it hit me again when I read a sample of somebody else's writing, and the feeling got worse. Then I felt it once more when Rick Warren came to speak to our people, and 600 souls dragged themselves out of bed early on a workday to hear what he had to say:

I'm incredibly average.

Now before my friends begin to protest, (or my critics say "duh!"), let me assure you this isn't me being humble. It's me being humbled.

One of my tasks is leading Bible studies for workers, and in every single one of those studies, there are people whose wisdom passes mine; whose ability to communicate to the group makes mine feeble. I sit and listen as they take a complex thought and paint a word picture that makes it immediately evident to everyone in the room, and I marvel at their skill. The pattern repeats itself every place I turn...better writers, better counselors, better teachers, better speakers. It makes me feel incredibly dispensable, and lately it's caused me to wonder if I'm not in the way.

In a world where "first" is feted and "last" is dismissed as irrelevant, I worry that I'm hampering more than I'm helping.

But maybe, just maybe, being average is my gift.

Like a climber by the side of the road who can only point to the mountain but can't get there, maybe the gift I give is merely being a mile-marker for the people who are stronger, faster, smarter.

God never called me to be a Bible answer man. He called me to teach others they can find the answers in the Bible themselves. He never called me to be a leader. He called me to be a guide. He never called me to call attention to myself. He called me to call attention to His Son.

After much anguished prayer, I know this much, though. I do what I do because I really do love workers. So maybe the way I serve best is by standing on the side of the road and pointing further down the path so the stronger and smarter can take us farther and serve Him better.

Maybe being incredibly average is a calling...and not just for me.

"He must increase, but I must decrease." Lord, help us each to be willing to hear those words and mean it.