Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were constantly coming to be baptized. An argument developed between some of John's disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. They came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him."
To this John replied, "A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.' The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less.
John 3: 25-30
Before Jesus came along John the Baptist was the main guy that people were comming to. All of a sudden, here comes Jesus, freshly baptized, baptizing others and becoming more and more popular.
The way I see it... John had one of two options. Either he could get angry at Jesus for taking away some of his followers, or he could accept it.
John accepted what was happening because he knew who Jesus was and his own place in the ministry. He understood that he was not going to be the one to save people. His job was to prepare the way so that people would be ready to come to Jesus.
He humbly stepped aside so that Jesus could come into the spotlight. In the same way we need to step aside and allow God to be the Hero in our story.
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