1 John 3:16 (0)
September 10th, 2009 by AJ, under devotionals.
We have come to know love by this: that Jesus laid down his life for us; thus we ought to lay down our lives for our fellow christians.
Why is it, I often hear the words “Jesus, you laid down your life for me, so I will lay down my life for you” or something along those lines more times than Wong appears in my local phonebook. Yet I rarely ever hear the words. “Jesus, you laid down your life for me, so I will lay down my life for my brothers and sisters”. True it probably isn’t quite as poetic. But sadly I think it is a symptom of a much deeper problem. Selfishness. The more I think about it, the more I can’t believe I haven’t thought about it. Don’t think about that too much… back on track now… From a natural perspective, most of the problems in the world are caused by selfishness, yet we do little if anything to alleviate it. I mean it’s not often you see gatherings like “make selfishness history”. I guess it’s because everyone who attends is probably a hypocrite… but imagine a world without selfishness, where people actually cared about others more than themselves. I personally can’t imagine it, it just seems to “inhuman”. People working together to help people in need. wait, there probably wouldn’t be anyone in need (at least not until someone else found out). Imagine no fighting, no war, no stealing, no cheating, no greed, no need. People actually considering one another’s needs more important than they’re own…
As good as that may seem, the selfishness in us repels the idea. And yet we listen!! Why do we serve it? I am honestly at a loss of understanding, but I can understand why God nearly destroyed the earth in Anger. Why do we follow that which destroys us? That which causes so much pain? (And to top it off, we then go and blame God for all the pain and suffering we see.)
I honestly don’t know why, but it certainly highlights the love of God! Why would He give his life to save something as useless as us. Something that causes itself so much pain. Something that tortured the one who came to save it! God did not just love that which was perfect and lovable from a distance. He got his hands dirty and loved a broken people that were not only incapable of returning love, but that despised him. Now that is Real love.
If you and I have that REAL love living in us, what would it look like?
Probably something like John 13:35. Ok enough writing. I’m going to pray for more love…