SELFLESS LOVE

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13 NIV)

On this Veteran’s Day, we honor the men and women who have embodied the spirit of sacrificial love through their service. John 15:13 reminds us that the greatest expression of love is found in laying down one’s life for others. Veterans have stood in the gap, willing to risk everything so that others might live in freedom and safety. Their courage points us to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who laid down His life for the salvation of the world. As we give thanks for our veterans, let us also be challenged to live lives of selfless love -- serving our families, our neighbors, and our communities with humility and grace, and serving in everyday ways through kindness, forgiveness, and standing up for those in need. True freedom is found not only in the liberties we enjoy but in the love we demonstrate. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry™

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HIGHLY REGARDED HUMILITY

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves."  (Philippians 2:3)

The person who serves selflessly, lovingly, without complaint, and without seeking recognition is highly regarded in the Kingdom of God. 

-- Henry Blackaby

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CONFORMING TO CHRIST

Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me].”  (Matthew 16:24 AMP)

Abraham Joshua Heschel once said, “Self-respect is the root of discipline: The sense of dignity grows with the ability to say ‘no’ to oneself.”

What do these two quotes say to us today – to a culture where anything goes, where I am encouraged to say ‘yes’ to my desires, where so many are conforming to the direction of society, rather than to Christ? So much is upside down in this world today. We need to say ‘yes’ to Christ and ‘no’ to oneself. 

The Apostle Paul put it this way, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -- His good, pleasing and perfect will.”  (Romans 12:2 NIV)

-- Rev. David T. Wilkinson

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CHRIST’S LOVE IN YOU

“I pray that… out of His glorious, unlimited resources He will give you the mighty inner strengthening of His Holy Spirit. I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts, living within you as you trust in Him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love; and may you be able to feel and understand, as all God’s children should, how long, how wide, how deep, and how high His love really is; and to experience this love for yourselves, though it is so great that you will never see the end of it or fully know or understand it. And so at last you will be filled up with God Himself.”  (Ephesians 3:15-19 TLB)

Only God can give us a selfless love for others, as the Holy Spirit changes us from within. This is one reason we must receive Christ, for apart from His Spirit we can never be freed from the chains of selfishness, jealousy, and indifference. Will others see Christ's love in your life today?

-- Billy Graham in “Hope for Each Day: Words of Wisdom and Faith”


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