"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends."
~ John 15:13 (NKJV)
Whatever my inclination toward the dramatic or the adventurous, I suspect I'm not the only person to read the above words and imagine saving someone else's life at the cost of my own.
In a land long ago and far away, (when I evidently didn't think one high risk occupation was sufficient), my positions as a police officer and volunteer firefighter-EMT made the willingness to lay down my life daily and real. In the present day, where I am a homemaker and home school teacher, the biggest risk I face is keeping a good temper with other drivers on the road and with my live-in students at home.
Do you believe me when I tell you that facing just those two groups of people still makes the willingness to lay down my life daily and real?
Then [Jesus] said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it."
~ Luke 9:23-24 (NKJV)
Jesus—God Himself!—calls His disciples His friends. If we are to follow Him as His disciples, the need to crucify our own desires and comforts is a daily demand and requires a very real laying down of life of Self. Perhaps it helps to thus define "Disciple of Christ" as a high risk occupation—and train accordingly.
Father, forgive me for all the times I protect Self at the expense of someone else's interest. Forgive me for all the times I look after desires of Self rather than emulate the example of Jesus. Please help me to think so highly of You and of others that my only desire is to honor You Who calls me friend.
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Copyright 2012, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Very well said my friend, love you.
ReplyDeleteThank you, dear one. I love you too!
DeleteWow! Anne, I posted on this very topic, today.
ReplyDeleteIt really does require a conscious daily decision to CHOOSE love.
Thank you, for the reminder and confirmation.
Conscious. Daily. Yes, Joe. On our own, we'd NEVER choose this kind of sacrificial love. I praise God that He enables the impossible.
DeleteI have just started coming to a point in my life when I don't think of "my sacrifices" as sacrifices. I just simply try to "do" without giving it too much thought as to what I am denying myself. Sometimes the thought of what I am giving up is too overwhelming and depressing and it might even invite a breakdown with plenty of tears. I am not talking about sin but being "others centered" and "choosing love". In a way it is denial but in another way it is my way of coping/enduring.
ReplyDeleteExtra tired tonight so I hope that makes sense.
It makes perfect sense, Mary. Although I often tell myself that whatever I'm sacrificing actually belongs to the Lord, so it's not really a sacrifice. But I really appreciate you taking that to the next level and not thinking of it as a sacrifice at all.
DeleteAs usual, I'm grateful that I continue to learn from you. I thank God that you're in my life. ♥