Have you ever found yourself counting heads — likes, followers, people in the room — and mistaking those numbers for spiritual success? There’s a quiet, almost subversive lesson tucked into John’s brief notes about baptizing: the work of God often grows when leaders step back from the front. It touches the ache in us for recognition and control, and invites us into a different rhythm: humble service that trusts God to increase what we cannot manufacture.

In John 3:22 we read that Jesus and his disciples were in the Judean countryside, staying and baptizing. Then John 4:2 adds an important clarification: Jesus himself did not personally baptize, but his disciples did. These short verses appear in the Gospel of John (they’re not narrated the same way in Matthew, Mark, or Luke) and together they show both activity — people being baptized — and intentional restraint — Jesus not personally performing the rite.

What this reveals is deeply Gospel-shaped: Jesus does not confuse charisma with mission. He allows his followers to do the baptizing, creating space for them to serve, learn, and represent the kingdom. That restraint protects the movement from becoming about one man’s popularity and points instead to a broader community formed around the good news. It’s a countercultural reminder that God’s work is not dependent on our personal visibility but on faithful delegation, discipleship, and the Spirit’s power. The challenge is real — let go of the spotlight — and the grace is abundant: you are part of something greater than your own name.

Today, practice a small, concrete act of stepping back. At work or at home, let someone else lead a conversation, present an idea, or take credit for a win. If you’re in ministry or mentoring, invite your apprentice to baptize, speak, or host, and then pray for them by name. Notice the relief and the growth that come when we trust God to increase what we’ve begun rather than clutch control of the outcome.