“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. (1 Peter 1:22 NIV) “
John tells us in the text 1 John 3:16 we know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. Say what John!? I must sacrifice my life and possibly even die for someone who I don’t even know? No thank you, John! However, that’s what Jesus did for you, and that’s what Brendan Kelly did for a young lady in October when bullets started raining down on the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada. A young lady wrote on Facebook, “Before I knew what was going on, Brendan tackled me down to the ground and covered me from the fire.” Brendan, who is a U.S. marine, exceeded his duty to serve and protect. It’s in his blood to put another person’s life before his own.
Would you do that for someone? Just like what Brendan did, God is calling us to love others and put people’s lives even before our own if necessary. Regardless of their background, social and economic status, race, gender, education, or whatever you may want to put there. He wants us to love people and share His love with them. Why? Because we are all God’s children.
He wants us to apply the golden rule in Matthew 7:12 NLT which says: “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. And I know you want the best for yourself, right? You put out what you want to get back. What goes around, comes around. So you want to love like God? Look at how Jesus loved. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice and died on a cross for all of us because He loves everyone in a way that we can’t even understand. He also said we should love our enemies! (Matthew 5:44) On the cross, he said to all those who put him there, Father forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing. (Luke 23:34). That’s not easy to do, but possible when we begin to see people through Jesus’ eyes. Like the old popular gospel song says: While He was on the cross, I was on His mind! He knew me, and yet He loved me.
Prayer: Father, teach us to love others like Jesus and to learn even to give up our lives to help others! Help us to share this incredible love with everyone, even our enemies! Please help us to live by the golden rule every day! In Jesus name, Amen.
