Author: Bellissiwarriors

Nothing Greater

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:13

That’s it. That’s all there is to it. Flowers, candy, cards, candlelight and wine, spa packages, or even diamonds. Those are all delightful expressions of affection, but love finds its greatest – and truest – expression in the self-sacrificial pursuit of the beloved’s best interests.

People die senselessly all the time. That doesn’t require anything special. But to purposefully give up what is most precious to you because you care intensely for the well-being of another person and want to see good come about in their life – that is real love. 

Maybe you’d be willing to surrender your life in a grand heroic gesture. I hope you never get the chance to put your promise to the test. But there is a friend who has already demonstrated the depth and extent of His love – Jesus. 

He considers you a friend (John 15:15). He willingly lay down His life for you (John 10:18). That’s phenomenal. But what makes it even more incredible is that He felt this way towards you – He made this incredible sacrifice on your behalf – when you were not His friend. When you were disinterested, disdainful and downright disagreeable (Romans 5:7-8). He didn’t let any of that stop Him from loving you to the fullest extent.

The question is what will you do about it? What kind of friend will you be to Him now? No friend would ask someone to lay down their life for them needlessly. Life is too precious to cast aside easily. Once you know that you’re loved in that way, it should make a difference. 

When you have the opportunity to lay down your life, what will you do? I’m not talking about that heroic gesture. I’m talking about day to day when there’s no recognition and no applause. Will you loosen your grip on the remote control? Will you hand over the last piece of cake? Will you suspend judgment, withhold criticism, forego your right to get even? This is what it means to turn the other cheek and go the extra mile and take the last seat (Matthew 5:39-41; Luke 14:10). It’s about letting go of love of Self and catering to all its demands in pursuit of bettering life for the beloved. That is hard stuff. It’s holy work. And in the end you will gain far more than you ever lost.

“If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life.” Matthew 16:25

Compassion

Seems like everyone these days is coughing, sniffling, sneezing. It was at our house earlier this winter. Over the course of a few hours, my son’s cold morphed into a sinus infection. I could see it in his eyes, and the way he winced when he moved his head. Of course it was the weekend, and the doctor’s office wouldn’t open until Monday morning. 

It’s bad enough to be sick, but somehow it’s a little bit worse when you’re sick on your birthday. He curled up on the sofa, the picture of misery, while we ate his special birthday dinner. The more pathetic he looked, the more my heart filled with compassion.

The Greek word for compassion means something like “to be moved to the bowels.” Maybe it’s a bit like the English phrase “gut wrenching”. It’s a physical reaction to seeing someone else’s needs. It’s more than just feeling sorry for another person – it’s your insides doing a flip. 

The Bible uses this word to describe Jesus’ response to the desperation of the crowds that sought Him – “He felt compassion for them” (Matthew 9:36); “He had compassion” (Matthew 14:14); “[Jesus was] moved with compassion” (Matthew 20:34). Jesus doesn’t just feel sorry for us – our suffering touches Him at the gut-level. 

The Hebrew word for compassion is closely related to the word for womb. This makes sense – compassion holds its object in the innermost parts. It seeks to shelter, protect and provide. It’s the care of a parent for a beloved child.

If I could have traded places with my son when he was sick, I would have, but some circumstances are beyond our ability to change. Jesus has never had that happen. In each of the instances mentioned above, Jesus acted. He exerted His power on behalf of the hurting: “Wherever he went, he healed people of every sort of disease and illness” (Matthew 9:35); “he healed their sick” (Matthew 14:14); “he touched their eyes. Instantly they could see!” (Matthew 20:34) It’s the whole reason He came – to do for us what we were helpless to do for ourselves. He suffered together with us and emerged triumphant over every affliction, to strengthen our hope that suffering isn’t the end of our story. 

“Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits - who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”
Psalm 103:2-5 NIV