Genuine Love, pt. 3

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

1 John 3:16 (ESV)

The repeating principle of genuine love is that God first showed love to us by laying down the life of His Son, Jesus Christ, and in light of that, we are called to count others as more important than ourselves--to lay down our own lives for each other, even unto death if necessary.

The theme behind a lack of love is, "I do not want to be the least of all." Christians know not to desire to be first, with the mentality: I want everyone serving me. We understand that we are to serve, but we do not desire to be the least. Our sinful nature and pride make sure that we "get ours." So even when we serve, we may look for some sort of repayment, something to "relieve" the "burden" of dying to ourself. Yet, I would say that we are to ever press on in service and love to the point of exhaustion and death, never once concerning ourselves with ourselves. The cost of following Christ and His example of love is exhaustion, even death. If we are to be exhausted, where is strength? In Christ! If we are to die, where is life? In Christ! With such a source, we should run with joy and passion towards exhausting all that we are to serve and love one another.

I know that I do not desire to exhaust myself in loving. I do not want to look like someone who has traveled in the desert for days, in that I am tired beyond tired, barely moving on hands and knees with tattered clothes, yearning for one drop of water, a moments relief. Yet, Christ did it for me. He did not and could not trade laying down His life for simple rest and comfort. Through it all, He was not unhappy. Love was His motivation. Likewise, because of His love, love shall be our motivation, and we will be joyful in the exhaustion. Scripture promises that Christ will be our strength, our source of rest, and our source of water (water that we need more than life and will make us to never be thirsty forever).

Yet again I say (from the song Audience of One), how can I not pledge all my love [and service] in light of all that He has done? There is no fear, no loss. Only hope and gain! I can be comforted because I cannot be more "least of all" than Christ. He perfectly served and loved in every way, never being selfish. He can support and be the perfect rock and foundation to all that I do. Therefore, I ought to lay down my life for the brothers and sisters.