My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.(John 15:12-13)
Many people would like to think they are unselfish: bighearted, bounteous, bountiful, charitable, free, freehanded, freehearted, fulsome, liberal, munificent, open, openhanded, generous, unsparing, unstinting. All these words are great descriptions of good people. These adjectives all describe loving people for sure. But it is not the kind of love Jesus describes here in John 15.
Jesus' love was a love that totally put aside self and took on others. Jesus was other-minded. Though He was fully God and fully man, Jesus laid aside the constant use of His divine attributes. He was still God, but in obeying the Father's will He sacrificed His entire earthly existence to serve man. He lived to die . . . for the opportunity for mankind to live with Him eternally!
So as belivers, how many of us literally live for others to know God personally? Jesus not only laid down His life for His friends, but for His enemies too!
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.(Romans5:8)
To me anyone can sacrifice for their friends, family, and those whom they have an affinity towards: however, to love your enemies . . . give to those who wish harm upon you . . . help someone who has lied about you . . .
In fact, Jesus instructs us in this way:
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you(Matthew 5:44).
So we have a challenge each day to live for others, not for me! That's love!
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