John is older than Jesus, and he was already in the ministry before the Lord started. Therefore, John could be said to be qualified and more experienced than Jesus. Instead, John possessed something that is by far more significant than anyone else in his time. Humility. It is a virtue that cannot be bought anywhere, and in as much as it is quickly spoken of, it is complicated to possess it in all totality.
Why does the Bible permanently warn us to watch out if we think we are wise? Part of the reasons is because it takes the precious grace of God and the help of the Holy Spirit for any individual to be humble. Our world is no longer as it used to be. No one can compare the past centuries to this current 21st century where individualism has overtaken collectivism. What we see today is more like; “To your tent, oh dear Christian”, where every individual is for themselves.
Being humble in the face of any conditions does not imply that Christian is a dunce. On the contrary, genuine unpretentiousness set the person apart and differentiate them from others and permit those in their worlds to learn from them.
Shalom.
Ehiyeh-Sh’Ehiyeh 