Greater Love

"Greater love has no man than this: that he should lay down his life for his friends."

I am learning a little about what this verse means. I know the Man this verse refers to is Jesus, and I don't know that I will every literally have to lay down my life for my friends (although its possible, and many people do it). But I think it applies in everyday life as well.

Laying down my life means laying down my wants, my needs, my hopes, my dreams, my expectations. It means sacrificing my opinion, my sensitivity, my pride, my emotions for my friends. Whether it is silently and instantly forgiving or biting my tongue and smiling or giving up my own desire to be cared for, I am called to lay down my life for my friends. Because this is what Jesus did for me, and because this is how Jesus shows the Gospel in the everyday through my life.

Sometimes this takes conscious choice, literally stopping myself or shoving my own wants aside. Other times God just takes over and does it for me (those are the best times!). But this is how I choose to follow Jesus in every moment. I want this to become my habit, my routine. Yet at the same time, I don't want it to become routine, because every time I experience that bittersweet moment of letting go, I experience anew what Jesus did for me. And how greatly God's glory is revealed through that! I remember who He is, what He has done, and what He continues to do. I remember why I exist - to love Him. The most tangible expression of this love is sacrificing my own self in order that He lives the Gospel through me. That is what I want most. That is what my soul yearns for. It is hard, so hard, but the hard is good. I don't think it will ever become easier to do this, because I don't think it really is supposed to be easy. But I am thankful, because it reminds me of my Redeemer.