My life is an example to many,
….because you have been my strength and protection.
That is why I can never stop praising you;
….I declare your glory all day long. Psalm 71:7-8 NLT
John 15:12-13 (<<click here to read the passage)
Many have read this story before – it’s been around – and though it is a work of fiction, it drives home the point.
Many years ago, as a hospital volunteer, I got to know a lovely little girl who was suffering from a rare life-threatening disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year-old brother, who had somehow survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness.
The doctor explained the situation to her little brother and asked him if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. He hesitated for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, “Yes, I’ll do it if it will save her.”
As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale, and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, “Will I start to die right away?”
The little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood to save her.
If you’ve never read that story before, it can have quite an impact. Obviously, it impacted me. I read it years ago, but it was one of the first things to come to mind as I read through today’s passage. Here they are from the Amplified Bible.
“This is My commandment, that you love and unselfishly seek the best for one another, just as I have loved you. No one has greater love [nor stronger commitment] than to lay down his own life for his friends.
The “no greater love…” portion of this passage is often used regarding first responders and those who serve in our military, and rightly so. They often are placed in positions where they willingly, knowingly put their lives on the line for others, many of them total strangers.
As I read through the notes of my study Bible, it stressed that laying our lives down for others does not have to mean that we may die in doing so…there are other ways to practice sacrificial love.*
Sacrificial love can be shown in any number of ways. Sometimes it takes a lot of patience and concerted effort just to listen…not just to hear, but to really listen.
Sometimes people need more than just what we have to say. This passage from 1 John 3:18 speaks volumes!
Little children (believers, dear ones), let us not love [merely in theory] with word or with tongue [giving lip service to compassion], but in action and in truth [in practice and in sincerity, because practical acts of love are more than words]. AMP
How about encouraging? Our world is really bad about stepping on other’s feelings just because we can. People, especially on social media platforms, love to tromp all over someone else’s simple statements or cries for help. Putting ourselves out there for their defense may find us attacked as well…but isn’t it worth it?
And lastly, others may need the benefit of our giving. It could translate to monetary gifts, but it all might involve time, or energy, or even a voice of influence to change the course of events.
God can – and does! – use us in so many ways…if we will but let Him! May He inspire us to lay down our lives for others.
*Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation
Sept 26th, 2021, Sun, 8:06 pm
