This is my command: Love one another as I have loved
you. No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends. You
are my friends if you do what I command you. John 15:12–14
Our love for one another is modeled by Christ. Jesus paid the ultimate price for us in that
he died so that we could have salvation and sanctification of our souls. This sacrifice is an act of love that establishes
each person who puts faith in Christ as Christ’s friend. Jesus is making this connection that his love
leads him to lay his life down. He then
makes the connection that we are to love one another if we are his friend. Taken to the next step then to love one another
in the greatest way possible Jesus, by implication, is saying we ought to lay our
lives down for each other.
When make a sacrifice to others then this is the highest
form of love. Sacrifice is hard. Often
our flesh does not want to give up self-centered pursuits. When we love our selves or when we love the worldly
pleasures then we do not have this self-sacrificing love that Jesus is calling
us to. We have a higher calling and
ought to be following the example of Christ in this way.
Let put the challenge to you this way. Get some time alone to pray to God. Ask Him, “Lord show me what sacrifices I need
to make and how I need to lay my life down in order to love those around me in
such a way that it glorifies You and advances Your cause and purpose in my life
and in the lives of others.” Be prepared
then to sacrifice self will and selfish pleasures in order to fulfill Christ’s
purpose of friendship and love in your life.
God Bless You
~BJ Olson
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