Do You Hear the Bridegroom?

When John the Baptist's disciples raised their concern with John regarding everyone going to Jesus to be baptised instead of to them, John was not at all disturbed. In fact, he rejoiced! Greatly!
In John 3:22-36 John the Baptist teaches us clearly that there is no place for rivalry or competition in gospel ministry. Any such approach presumes that we determine the fruitfulness or success of our ministry ourselves. On the contrary, teaches John - "A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven." And, even more importantly, everything we do should seek to magnify the Lord, and diminish any sense of 'self' - "He must increase, but I must decrease."
Afterall, Jesus is from above, and is above all. To draw people to ourselves, instead of directing them to Jesus, is not only to significantly short-change them, but potentially cause them to miss out on the gift of eternal life that is given to those who believe in him.
John the Baptist rejoiced greatly at hearing Jesus, the bridegroom's, voice. He knew his place in the kingdom, and his joy was complete in knowing that the Messiah was now walking in the ways he had prepared for him, as was his own divinely appointed ministry.