The Greatest Manifestation of Love

Picture from the Last Supper scene at the Cenacle from the movie, 

"The Passion of the Christ"

"No one can have greater love than to lay down his life for his friends. "

- John 15:13

The measure of true love is one's willingness to die for another, especially a friend. We have discussed earlier that God showed us how He loved us so much that He gave His only begotten Son for our sake [see John 3:16; Roman 5: 6-8].  Before we even accepted God's friendship He already considered us as His friends, more than that, as children!

The Lord Jesus Christ did not only speak of these words to His disciples. He made an example of Himself about the truth of what He said. Within a few hours after He said these words, He was arrested and a complete day has not passed till He died for the sake of mankind. He did not merely made a speech, He concretely manifested the message that He delivered. 

We cannot do less with regards to our manifestation of love for our brethren. We cannot say that the Lord could do such a thing because He was God. Yes He was God and we were unworthy of the humiliation which He went through for our sake. But He did it for the love of us. He even have to become human just to be able to go through the sufferings and pains as a human being for He could not be harmed if He remained God.

By His great sacrifice we were redeemed by Him to regain our original status of living in the state of grace, of having the divine life in us. Hence He once again made us worthy to claim what the Psalmist said, "You have made me little less than a god!" [Psalm 8:5]. 

Giving our life for the sake of our friends is not necessarily dying physically. We can "die" a million times by giving someone who is in a hurry our place in a line, by listening to someone whom nobody would want to listen to anymore because what he speaks about are but the same problems day by day, by giving what we actually need to someone who might be needing more of it, by waking up in the middle of a sound sleep after nights of sleeplessness when someone needs assistance, and more.

Sometimes we look for great ways of helping when we can do some little things to comfort anyone within our area. We do not have to seek martyrdom to become "martyrs" of charity because each moment of our days we find ourselves amid many challenges which actually try our resolve to become true Christian lovers. The Lord said, he who can be trusted with small things can be trusted with great things. Maybe we are not yet given by God some great things to accomplish because we are not ye through the test about small things!

Let us remember that being a Christian is not about accomplishing great things. We are not called to become adventurous professionals who could ride on motorbikes and cross two towering buildings along a single cable! We are children of God and friends of the Lord who are called to show love and concern from the smallest possible manner until we are perhaps tested through the crucible of fire by martyrdom when we have already become ready to undergo such terrible test!

Have a blessed "dying" each moment of our lives, friends!