“He must increase, but I must decrease.” — John 3:30

Sports naturally put attention on you. Your name is on the roster. Your number is on the jersey. Your stats are tracked. Your highlights get posted. When you perform well, people celebrate you. And there’s nothing wrong with working hard, being recognized, or pursuing greatness. But as Christian athletes, we have to continually ask ourselves a difficult question: As my platform grows, is Jesus becoming more visible—or am I?

John the Baptist understood this tension. People were beginning to leave his ministry and follow Jesus, and his disciples noticed. John could have become jealous or worried about losing his influence. Instead, his response was simple: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” John understood that his purpose was never to build a platform around himself. His entire life was supposed to point people toward Christ.

That same truth should challenge us as athletes. It's easy to say “All glory to God” after a win, put a Bible verse in our bio, or point toward heaven after making a big play. But glorifying God goes much deeper than what we do when the cameras are watching. If Jesus is really increasing in our lives, it should change who we are when nobody is watching too. It should show up in how we treat teammates, respond to coaches, handle losing, carry success, and act when we don't get our way.

Sometimes the hardest thing to surrender isn't our sport—it's our need to be seen through it. We want the recognition. We want people to know our name. We want the offer, the followers, the praise, and the respect. Without realizing it, we can start using the gifts God gave us to build our own name instead of making His known.

John 3:30 doesn't tell us to become less talented, less ambitious, or less excellent. It tells us what all of that excellence is supposed to point toward. Train hard. Chase the goal. Develop your gift. Become the best athlete you can be—but don't let your desire to become great become greater than your desire to glorify God.

Because eventually, the applause stops. Someone else breaks the record. Another athlete wears the jersey. The game moves on. But the impact of a life that genuinely pointed people toward Jesus can reach far beyond a playing career.

So maybe the question isn't simply, “How can God help me succeed?”

Maybe it's:

“How can my success help people see God?”

Your platform doesn't have to be the biggest. Your name doesn't have to be the loudest. You simply have to be willing to let whatever God has placed in your hands point beyond yourself.

Don't let your name get bigger while your faith gets smaller.

Let Him increase.

Let yourself decrease.

And let everything you do point back to Jesus.

Prayer

Father, thank You for every gift, opportunity, and platform You've given me. Keep me from making what You've given me about myself. As I grow in my sport, help me grow even more in You. Let my character, effort, attitude, and success point people toward Jesus. May You become greater in my life and I become less. In Jesus' name, Amen.