How do you picture Jesus during his last supper with his disciples? In the chapters of John leading up to his arrest in the garden he clearly had a lot to say. Yes, he gave them a head’s up about what was about to happen, but he also spent time reminding them of his most important lessons. If you need a primer on how to treat people, on how to start living the Christian life, then John, chapters 13-17, is a great place to start.
Knowing that he was headed for the cross, he says the following, John 15:12-13 “12 This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down their life for their friends.” He wants the disciples (and us) to know that he is walking down a path, knowing it leads to death, willingly because of the love he has. Loving another human being will almost always involve some sort of sacrifice.
Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice out of the love he had for us, giving his own life. By the fact that you’re reading this now, I think it’s safe to assume that you haven’t had to sacrifice your own life for a friend. However, I’m sure there are sacrifices big and small you have made for the people that you love. “I don’t really enjoy that restaurant, but I’ll go because I know you do.” “I know you hate doing (household task), so I will take care of it.” “I never thought I’d live there, but I love you enough to trust the call on your life.”
Big or small, we show the love we have for others by the sacrifices we are willing to make for them. And when we combine this with our call to be a force of love for everyone, we learn more about our place in the world. We can focus on building others up. We can choose to put ourselves second. We can live into to the love we have been called to give.