Will you make a sacrifice for love?

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “What the world needs now”

Our Bible verse for today: “No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Will you make a sacrifice for love?”

In John 15:13 was Jesus really suggesting that each of us be prepared to die to demonstrate our love for someone? Probably not. He may have been referring to His own death for us, but probably not to us dying for someone else. Like you, there are a few people I would willingly surrender my life for – but not many. That’s the ultimate sacrifice and quite frankly, there are only a precious few who are really that dear to me.

Rather, in this verse Jesus was using the illustration of physical death to teach a general truth about loving. He was talking about an intentional action taken by one person on behalf of another and He was illustrating the importance of being willing to sacrifice for the sake of showing love.

Remember, love is often a decision to act rather than an emotion we feel. We are called to act in love even if we don’t feel love. That could involve things like taking the time to listen to someone who needs to talk; or giving assistance to the elderly widow who needs help with a heavy chore; or giving a financial gift to a person in need; or a thousand other acts like that. Those are all intentional acts that can be taken whether you have feelings of love for the person or not.

I want to redirect our thoughts back to the statement from a previous devotional in this series about the woman who had been brutally raped by a man and who then went to visit him in prison. She told him she was glad he was being punished for what he did but she was also extending forgiveness to him in the name of Jesus. Afterwards she admitted that, “It was the last thing I wanted to do … I was physically sick at the thought of seeing Him … I was repulsed by him … I still hated him … but I knew that what Jesus wanted was my obedience. He wanted me to extend love and forgiveness to that man. He wanted me to love that man with my will and with my words even though in my emotions I couldn’t stand the sight of him.”

(An important point for us to remember in such cases is that a decision to intentionally act in love towards a person – especially a person like that rapist – is not the equivalent of endorsing their bad behavior. We can demonstrate love for them while still holding them accountable for what they did.)

Will you make a sacrifice for love? Love is often a decision to act rather than an emotion you feel. Jesus calls us to love people on purpose, and to even make sacrifices to do so. That’s how He loves the world through you and me. And as we will learn tomorrow, you have been chosen for this very purpose.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you are reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00, in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

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