Matthew 3:15 (NKJV)
“But Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then he allowed Him.”
It’s not always that you should have your way or insist that the system must be followed. Sometimes, righteousness requires that the older serve the younger and the mightier act as the weaker. John knew that Jesus was more powerful and that the stronger was the one to baptize the weaker. John knew the system of spiritual protocols. John knew that it would be wrong for him to baptize Jesus. Yet, Jesus appealed to him to do it, for the sake of righteousness.
We need to learn that we will not always have our way. We need to learn that sometimes, we have to let go of our rights. We need to learn to be weak at times. We need to see that righteousness is not about our always being right. Humility is righteousness in reality, and the humble man steps back to honor the weaker even if he thinks he is greater. Permit others to go ahead. Permit others to rise above you. Permit others to preside. This is righteousness.
“Lord, make my heart always move like Yours. Make me think as You do and respond to things as You do. Remove from me all desires for self–elevation, at the expense of others. Instead, let me work to lift others up and promote them even if it’s at my own expense. This I ask, through the power of Jesus. Amen.”
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