Today’s scripture: John 13:31-35 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Keith Phillips):
Jesus: “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.”
Me: “Thanks a lot, Jesus. It sounds so easy when you say it! But if it were that easy, wouldn’t we be living in the Kingdom of God by now?”
When I was younger, I honestly thought that it was easy. All we had to do is love one another “and the world will be a better place, for you and me; just wait and see; put a little love in your heart.” That was a few years ago, and things really aren’t much better. So what’s the problem?
A piece of the problem is knowing what love is. It is not, I guarantee, gooey, sticky-sweet nicey-nice. Nor is it automatically doing whatever you want me to do for you. Jesus says, “Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” Never in the Gospels is Jesus portrayed as either sticky-sweet or obedient to the demands of others. So how did Jesus love?
In a recent episode of Big Brother Brandon used his veto power to remove his fiancé, the nefarious Rachel, from the eviction round. He said, “That’s just what love is. It’s sacrificial.”
In John’s Gospel, love is sacrificial. These verses are spoken by Jesus at supper the night before his crucifixion. Judas has just gone out to betray him, and Jesus is thinking of his death when he gives his new commandment. It occurred to me to look back to John 3:16, where the context for “God so loved the world…” is not the incarnation but the crucifixion: “And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life” (John 3:14–15).
To love one another as Jesus loved us is to be there for others, to hope for the very best for them, to forgive them, to lend them a helping hand, to be kind and gentle and generous and peaceful and trusting toward them, to be like Jesus sacrificially. The difference is both qualitative and quantitative. Jesus’ radically new commandment calls us to love one another even though it may cost our lives and our livelihood.
My guess that’s a big piece of the problem in making the world a better place. It reminds me of the preacher who encouraged her congregation to give until it hurts; to which a parishioner replied, “Pastor, some of us just can’t stand much pain.”
Thought for today: Lord, I’m generally pretty generous in my thoughts, attitudes, and actions. Help me to become more like you — sacrificial. Thank you.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.