It Wasn't Me (OK, Maybe It Was)

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

I can't tell you the number of times I had been part of a group that succeeded beyond all expectations a task it was assigned. A few of those times I have even been in charge of the group. I also can't tell you the number of times the opposite has happened. Epic success is always a better feeling than epic failure.

What I can tell you is how many times I took full credit for the results of our group - zero if we did good, all of them if I was in charge and we failed. I can also tell you how many times the group let me take full credit for failing - zero.

I have always been blessed to be part of groups who honestly believe that we were all in it together. However, I'm not so naive to know that all groups and/or people are the same. I know of several incidents in which the group failed and the leader took responsibility and nobody backed her/him up. I also know of several leaders who take all the credit, leaving their group with no recognition at all.

I've always liked John the Baptizer because he reminds me of the one who shouts success without shouting his own name. John was surrounded by people hailing him as the messiah. People came from all corners of the land to listen to him preach and be baptized in this new spirit he was talking about. Yet, through all that John never took credit for being "the one". John always said there would be another, one greater than he who will do far better things.

It takes a lot of humility to not get caught up in the whirlwind that success can bring. Today's society almost begs us to take full credit for all things successful, whether we are the responsible ones or not. Sometimes the person taking the credit wasn't the one in the group who really brought success to the project. Imagine if John had given in to the pressures around him and claimed himself the messiah.

John knew his role. John also knew that his success wasn't achieved alone and was only possible because of those around him and his God. I ask that today, tomorrow, and from this day forward you find ways to be successful for those around you. The blessings are truly rewarding.