Matthew Chapter 11. I feel insignificant.
John the Baptist is in prison and he hears about the miracles of Jesus and sends his disciples to ask Jesus if he is the expected one, the Messiah? Or is it someone else? Jesus sends John's disciples back to him by quoting a fulfilled prophecy about the coming Messiah mentioned in the Old Testament. In other words, Jesus is saying yes I am the chosen one, the Messiah. Jesus then tells the crowd that no one has risen or been born who is greater than John the Baptist.
Wow! That's quite a compliment. John is in prison and probably feeling deserted by God. Probably thinking, “Hey, I'm serving the Lord, I'm the messenger spoken about in the Old Testament, I shouldn't be going through these tough times. This road should be much smoother. Yes, I should encounter some bumps in the road but not put in prison and totally isolated of people to minister to.” Do you ever feel that way?
Jesus said that there has been no one greater than John the Baptist because God doesn't measure our greatness on how many people we reach. Yes, reaching people for Jesus is important, but the measurement of greatness is OBEDIENCE. Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 7:21 and Luke 8:21 that not everyone who calls Jesus Lord enters heaven. Not everyone who does miracles, and drives out demons, and prophesizes great words will enter Heaven. But those who do the will of the father are the ones who become a part of the family of God in heaven. That's called obedience!
John the Baptist was the forerunner for Jesus and all of the sudden became “less significant” because of being put in prison. But he was in God's perfect will. I'd rather be in prison physically while being spiritually obedient to God's will, than be physically in the glamorous spotlight while spiritually in prison because of my disobedient acts of sin. At the end of the chapter, Jesus calls those who are feeling insignificant and burdened and weary to come to him and find rest and healing. May we all approach the Lord Jesus in Humility and Expectancy.
HUMILITY: because we recognize that apart from Christ we can do nothing (John 15: 5-6).
EXPECTANCY: because when we approach Jesus with the willingness to be used by the power of the Holy Spirit, then HE WILL USE US! EXPECT IT!!!
Have a good day oh SIGNIFICANT ONE!