Would you?
Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. John 15:13
I recently saw a movie that was about rescuing children from human trafficking. It was sad but inspiring. One man stepped up and began to walk in the direction of helping these innocent kids. He started right where he was at the time, but soon found himself in another country where people lived beyond the laws of the land. He did manage to build a small team of people to help him and they were able to make an impact on the world because of this one man’s involvement.
In one scene toward the end, this man went deep into the jungles of South America to rescue a little girl that was never going to be able to escape without help. She had been sold to a group of rebels and no one dared to go where this group of militants lived and come back alive. As the man went into this small village, he was able to identify the little girl and wait for the right time to pick her up and get her out of there. Then the time came! In that scene, he knocked out one of the men guarding her and pick her up and ran out of the jungle carrying her. He saved this little girl he didn’t even know. He risked his life because a man he only met one time asked him to find his daughter. This hero had his own family and his own life, but he began on a mission that ended up saving many lives and changing many government laws in many countries. Something leapt inside my spirit as I watched this guy carrying this small child out of the deep impenetrable village. When I saw this picture, I thought in my heart; This is what a savior looks like. Risking his own life to save another small seemingly insignificant life.
In today’s verse, Jesus told His disciples that there is no greater love than when someone lays down their own life for a friend. This is what Jesus did for His disciples, but Jesus also laid down His life for His enemies. As He was hanged on the cross, He pray that God would forgive those who carried out that gruesome deed because they didn’t know what they were doing. Jesus rescued His friend, His enemies and even those He didn’t know. He laid down His life for all! There is no greater love. Yet this same disciple John that wrote this account of Jesus words later on wrote: By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren in 1 John 3:16. We should be willing to lay down our lives for others.
This is a great challenge for me as I consider: Would I be willing to lay down my life for someone else? Probably for my grandchildren, children and my husband. But what about a friend or even a stranger. Not likely. I would justify that my family needs me and that is more important. But Jesus told us to go into all the world and rescue lost people. It may not be life threatening, but it is a mission that we all need to be on and when you consider the risk involved of just telling someone about the love of God, it is very minimal.
Today I want to encourage you that most of us will never have to lay down our life for another person. However, when we begin to love others enough to be concerned with their eternity, we will lay down our fears and complacency to share God’s salvation with them. Leading people to the only hope in this world will become the greatest assignment on our lives and we will begin to step in the direction of rescuing people from an eternity of separation from our Father in heaven. Share the greatest love with those around you today by laying down your self focus to become other focused. Would you?
Today’s scripture reading: John 15:9-17
9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.
10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.
12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.
15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.
16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.
17 These things I command you, that you love one another.
The Daily Dose 