Greater Love

 John 15:13 - "Greater love has no one than this. That one lay down his life for his friend."

What does it mean to lay your life down? Does it mean grandiose and dramatic acts? Maybe. That is what I often picture or imagine when I think of this verse. But what if it means smaller and more subtle actions? We hold on to selfishness and pride so often. I know I do. But what if we said, "You know what? I'm going to intentionally set aside my own needs/wants/desires in this moment because I see another fellow human in need." Is that the "greater love" that Jesus was talking about here? I would say so. 

Greater love takes intentionality. It takes cultivation. It takes practice. 

It also doesn't mean that your needs and wants and desire are NOT important. I doubt that Jesus was instructing us to tell ourselves that our needs were unimportant (hairs on head, birds of the air, and all that). But he was telling us to lay our needs aside for the sake of others. 

The coolest part about this model is that, if the person you are loving also believes this truth, maybe they'll set aside their needs for you too. Which would mean that both of your needs are being met in a mutually beneficial relationship. 

Now that's a beautiful picture. 

This is Love

1 John 4:10 - This is love. Not that we loved God. But that He Loved us, and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sin.

If today's nationwide gossip today is any indication, we humans are very self absorbed. This isn't a realization from my own brain (sadly). It is from my wife. I brought up the conversation with her this morning and she was quick to ask the question: "Why does this matter? Why is this so important when there are literally dozens of earth-shattering events happening as we speak? This is just gossip. People like to gossip. It satisfies some kind of perverted desire in our brains where we feel all close and cuddly with the people that emphatically agree with us. This is messed up."

And you know what? She is right. 1 John 4:10 above is command to re-center our brains on the Father and on what He has done for us. There is very little good that can come from gossiping about one sinner messing up and then another sinner messing up in response. Why do we do this? It's because it feels good. We sure do like to carp from the sidelines about everything. 

But once again, we prove to ourselves that this isn't love. We haven't loved. We haven't loved each other (fellow image bearers of God, His children). Therefore, we haven't loved God.

But he Loved us, and sent his Son. This brokenness is covered by Sin. This brokenness is covered by the atoning sacrifice of Jesus. 

How about we let that be our "gossip"?