It belongs to the highest Christian experience to be able to say, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). Self may be our greatest enemy, while we may be entirely ignorant of the power of such a foe. It is therefore well to sit down from time to time and ask ourselves the question, “What is the motive power of my zeal in the Lord’s work? Is it the constraining love of Christ (2 Cor. 5:14)? Or, beneath all my seeming earnestness, is there a secret, undefined longing to make a name for myself, or to build up something in which I can glory?”

      There is at least one test that we may apply to our devotion to the Lord, and it is this:If our eye is single for Him (Matt. 6:22), we will be quite ready to rejoice in the success of another man’s labors. We do not say we will be ready to rejoice in anything that professes to be work for God, for in that case we would be found rejoicing in very much that is simply a caricature of the “glorious Gospel” (1 Tim. 1:11). But what we say is that if our zeal is from above, we will be found rejoicing in every work for God that is manifestly from above. It will not matter whether I am the instrument or some other person is the instrument. Is Christ exalted? Is He increasing? If so, that is enough for every one who is truly devoted to His person.

      There may be no increase as regards my prominence in the work. On the contrary, I may be on the decrease. The Lord may be exalting other workers while I am being overlooked and forgotten by the saints at large. But what if this is the case? If I have the spirit of John the Baptist, if my zeal has had a heavenly origin, I will rejoice. It would surely be strange if that which causes joy in the presence of the angels should awake no responsive echo in my breast!

      “Rejoice with Me” says Christ (Luke 15:6,9). Self finds no part in that invitation. We are invited to rejoice with Him. Are we ever ready to rejoice?

            (From The Believer’s Treasury, 1887.)