This morning I’m starting my day without coffee…the coffee maker works fine and I’m not turning over a new leaf with no caffeine. But, our six-year-old grandson is sleeping on the couch and he’s a light sleeper and startles easily…so no coffee because the coffee maker would wake him.
It’s what we do for love.
We make sacrifices. You know the kind – giving up the last piece of pie so someone else can enjoy it. You skip the Hallmark movie so they can watch sports or a travel show. They give us their coat because we said we wouldn’t need one and now we’re cold…I’m sure you have your own list of little and big sacrifices that you make for the people you love.
It’s what we do because we love.
I’m so glad that Jesus was willing to sacrifice because of His love for us. Yes, the sacrifice of giving His love for ours is almost inconceivable but look at the hundreds of other little things He did.
First, He left heaven – get that, heaven. He came to earth where things are dirty and messy. He left a perfect relationship with the Father to be surrounded by some fishermen and tax collectors who were always in competition as to who was Jesus’ favorite. He dealt with constant ridicule and scrutiny. People were always coming to “get” something from Him and not to just be His friend. Why?
It’s what He did because of love.
“…If you want to be great, you must be the servant of all the others. 27 And if you want to be first, you must be the slave of the rest. 28 The Son of Man did not come to be a slave master, but a slave who will give his life to rescue many people.” Matthew 20:26-28 CEV
Because of love, Jesus came with forgiveness and compassion. He went without sleep and missed meals; he brought healing, peace, release from guilt and expected nothing in return. He gave it all…it’s what we do when we love!
“ God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die.” John 3:16 CEV
That’s what He did for love. Now, what do we do in return?
“ We love because God loved us first. ” I John 4:19 CEV
“We should be grateful that we were given a kingdom that cannot be shaken. And in this kingdom we please God by worshiping him and by showing him great honor and respect.” Hebrews 12:28 CEV
We love Him and we show Him our gratitude with our honor and respect.
It’s what we do for love! It’s what we do to be like Him!