我朋友布奇．布里格斯（Butch Briggs）在一所中學擔任游泳隊教練長達51年，並且深受大家愛戴。我出於好奇而問他，在這50多年裡，他贏過多少次國內的州際冠軍。他用一貫溫和的語氣幽默地回答說：「我沒贏得任何冠軍，因我沒參加任何一場比賽。」於是，我換個方式問：「你帶領的游泳隊贏過多少次冠軍呢？」他高興地回答：「39次。」

布奇給我上了寶貴的一課。雖然教練的角色至關重要，但他從不把選手們的成就歸功於自己。

布奇的謙卑讓我想起，施洗約翰如何看待自己的角色。施洗約翰的責任是告訴人們，耶穌就是彌賽亞，是上帝應許要施行拯救的那位救贖主。當時，施洗約翰引起大家的關注，甚至連宗教領袖都想知道他究竟是誰。施洗約翰坦言：「我不是基督」（約翰福音1章20節）。即使他們不斷逼問他，他仍堅稱他的使命是宣告耶穌的到來（21-23節），而耶穌才是眾所期盼的那位救主（27節）。

體現「謙卑」的一種方式，就是不貪圖不屬於自己的功勞。這能幫助我們以正確的眼光看待自己的成就，並肯定別人的努力與付出。

My friend Butch Briggs has been the beloved coach for the swim teams at a local high school for fifty-one years. Out of curiosity, I asked him how many state championships he’d won during his five decades. In his trademark, gentle tone he quipped, “I’ve not won a single championship because I’ve never swum in a single race.” Trying again, I asked him, “How many championships have your swimmers won?” He happily responded, “Thirty-nine.”

Butch taught me a valuable lesson. A coach plays an important role, but he didn’t want to take credit for what his swimmers accomplished.

Butch’s humility reminds me of how John the Baptist saw his role. John was tasked with pointing people to Jesus as the Messiah—the one who fulfilled God’s promise to send a rescuer. But John garnered so much attention that the religious leaders wanted to find out exactly who he was. In response, Scripture records that John “confessed freely, ‘I am not the Messiah’ ” (John 1:20). Even when they pressed him, John was clear that his role was to announce Jesus’ arrival (vv. 21-23). Jesus was the one they’d longed for (v. 27).

This aspect of humility—not taking more credit than is due—is a way we can keep a proper perspective regarding our accomplishments while recognizing others for the assignments or roles they’ve been given.