Greater love has no one than this, that
someone lay down his life for his friends.
(ESV)
There are many things that motivate my actions. I obey the speed limit because I fear a
ticket. I break the speed limit because
I fear being late. I tell jokes because
I want people to like me. I mow the
grass because I will be embarrassed for neighbors to think I am not taking care
of my house. Yet how much of my life is
motivated by love and relationship?
Jesus talks about laying down your life for friends as an
act of love. It is not about fulfilling
the law. It is not about doing something
to get into God’s good graces. It is not
about doing something to avoid His wrath.
Jesus shows us that the greatest thing we can do is not motivated by any
of the things that motivate most of our lives.
It is motivated by love and relationship.
How would your morning routine look if parts of it were
motivated by love and relationship? How
would your arrival at work, the bulk of your day, and mundane, domestic chores
look different? I think I would feel a
lot less stress and exhaustion, to say nothing of genuine joy and satisfaction,
if my prime motivators in life were love and relationship instead of fear and
consequence.
Jesus, I can’t put it any simpler than this. Help me to live the way You did. Amen.
Copyright © 2014 by Steven R. Perkins
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