Midweek: Love's Reality

I typically don't post my own stuff on Wednesdays, but this morning I was reading 1 John 3:16 in The Passion, and the way the verse was rendered resonated with me. I was compelled to share:

This is how we have discovered love's reality: Jesus sacrificed His life for us. Because of this great love, we should be willing to lay down our lives for one another.

Of course, it's the Lenten season, a time we turn our thoughts to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He willingly laid down His life for us. Dying for those we love, the hero who rushes into a burning building to save a life while losing his own, the noble warrior spilling his blood in battle for his countrymen --all of these themes become familiar to us even from childhood. There is a romanticism in sacrifice, particularly the selfless sacrifice of one's life. But none of us living can truly imagine what goes through the mind of one so giving. At that very moment one realizes they will lose their life, leave behind those they love that another might continue to live --what is the visceral response? None of us can say for sure. We can, however, grasp more easily the concept of giving up that to which we are entitled that others may have, and that is where my imagination tends to dwell when I think of the sacrifice of Jesus.

I have surrendered my last piece of gum. I have bitten the bullet (and said a quick prayer) when my little backwasher was thirsty, and the only immediate source of water was in my Yeti. I have given up my pick of vacation weeks so a coworker can visit his sister. I have allowed my husband to have his choice of restaurants when it was my turn to choose. I have sat freezing on park benches or roasting in the sun while my children romped and roamed playgrounds calling out Mom! Watch! ad nauseum. And I have watched. I have waited up for our grown children to arrive home only an hour or two before I was due at work. I have used my gift cards to purchase gifts for others. I have spent my lunch break writing cards to encourage strangers. I have spent my days off comforting a friend. Things to which I was entitled, laid down for others. We've all done it. We can all relate. But it is merely a glimpse of love's reality.

Love's reality is not all flowers and date nights. It's not all smiles and gratitude. It's not simply foregoing the extras, but giving out of our poverty. Love's reality can be difficult to bear. Love's reality is a lowliness of mind: leaving perfection --a heavenly throne --to come to mankind that we might be made holy and receive glory. Love's reality is the big picture, momentary affliction --affliction beyond anyone's imagination --that others might live in eternal peace and prosperity. Love's reality is laying down all you are due to save those who have done all they can to strip you of it. Love's reality is choosing to make the transition from Creator to created --Edvard Munch becomes the pain and pathos of Ashes, Tchaikovsky becomes the crushing sadness of his 6th --all for the redemption of others. Love's reality is a limitless God choosing confinement, an Almighty God choosing to stand before a corrupt judge, an eternal God choosing death --bloody and gruesome and humiliating --for us. 

And because of this reality, let us go and do likewise.