Would You Die For a Stranger?

What would you do if your house was on fire, your spouse and child are trapped inside and you only have enough time to go in and save one. What do you do? This is the toughest decision that some have had to make. If you were the spouse in the house what would you decide? Nine out of ten would save the child because the love of the spouse in the fire would tell the other to let him/her go.

John 15:13 states, “Greater Love hath no man than he who would give his life for his friends”. There are many ways to look at this passage. The most obvious one is the cryptic way He was letting the Disciples know that He was about to be crucified. But this has many other meanings that we should understand.

This single verse is my life verse which I will explain why shortly. There is more to this passage than just giving of one’s self. Let’s look at the passage this comes from:

If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
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 his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another. John 15:10-17

The Lesson   

The Disciples, according to Scripture and tradition were a little confused at first. They were serving Jesus by ensuring all needs were met. To Jesus, these men were the future who would lead others to the faith and follow God’s Word, not man’s perversions of it. These men would be the ones who would live a Christ like life the best they could and be the example to others.
Jesus did not want to be served but helped the Disciples learned what it meant to serve others without the need or desire for recognition or rewards. To this manner and the fact that their relationship grew, Jesus called them friend and brother. God’s Love is at the center of all this as the greatest act of love is sacrifice.

What do we get from this? God’s Love means to be able to sacrifice of yourself in any circumstance that requires it without question or desire for award. It is because of His sacrifice that we go into the darkness of the world and share what we have gained through the Grace, Love, and Mercy of God. We were servants of the world and sin as they had the greatest hold on us, but through Christ we are redeemed.    

What is Sacrifice?

Sacrifice is defined by Merriam/Webster as: the destruction or surrender of something for the sake of something else; also, the act of offering to a deity something precious. The ultimate sacrifice was God’s giving of His Son as a sacrifice for all mankind. It is the final sacrifice needed for the redemption from sin and death. We all die physically but this death is the death of the soul. Because of the sacrifice we are saved from eternal damnation.

Sacrifice in our present life does not only mean we have to physically die. When we give up something precious to us we are sacrificing the need and desire for that item because someone needs it more. Giving up things that we have in abundance is just sharing of the wealth we are provided. It is not that we have need or will miss it, it is because we have plenty. That is not sacrifice, but sharing.

Sacrifice is giving of the last dollar when we do not get paid for another week. We will do without until we can move forward. Sacrifice is giving up your favorite material thing. Sacrifice is giving of your time for someone else’s needs when you are required to be elsewhere.

Why is This My Life Verse

I am a humble servant of my Lord and Savior Jesus. My life is not my own but belongs to God. When I was in the military, my life was signed over to the defense and protection of the country. This meant that my death certificate was already made just missing the date, time and means of death. Jesus’ death certificate was already complete even before He was born. I became a willing sacrifice in the defense of the land I hold dear. I became a willing sacrifice for the safety and security of my family and friends. I became a willing sacrifice to defend my brothers and sisters in arms even at the cost of my own life.

This has become my way of life. Not desiring or needing anything but working towards the safety, security, and comfort of my family, friends, and strangers. I would give my life for any of you reading this if that is what it took for you to continue living.
  
What Does This Mean

Are you willing to sacrifice. Our lives are to be a living sacrifice to God. Giving up worldly things to serve only the will of God. Now in this day and age it is difficult to sacrifice everything because of the requirements of life and the ruling body appointed over us. It is possible to live as God desires us to through our acts of kindness, suffering for others, giving of ourselves so that others may succeed. Will you sacrifice everything for your human brother or sister? I know I would.

Blessings to You,

In GOD’S Love, Grace, and Mercy,

Rob, Servant of Father God