Love, Even In The Incovenience

I am studying the book of John this year and Jesus exemplifies His love for us throughout the entire book, but there are two circumstances in the book that I cannot get off my mind. Jesus’ love in these two scenarios is astounding. In one He shows not only love to one of His followers, but He also shows deep rooted compassion and concern. In the other He shows love to someone who He knows is going to betray Him in a matter of moments.

As we are in the middle of the month of love, I am reflecting on my love for others. Jesus’ love for His people is a kind of love that we do not see here on earth. It is a love that is beyond our understanding. This kind of love reaches into someone’s heart and keeps it beating, it goes beyond the initial romance and cares for the other sacrificially. It puts the other individual first even when hurt, betrayal, and disappointment is inevitable to come.

In John 9, Jesus heals a man who was born blind. That in itself is a miracle and an example of love, but the kind of compassionate love that stands out to me is after the miracle was performed. Jesus healed the man on the Sabbath and the religious leaders were all bent out of shape because Jesus healed on that particular day. They brought the healed man in for questioning and he told them exactly what had happened and told them that Jesus had to be a prophet. The religious leaders still did not believe the man had originally been blind and brought in his parents to testify for him. The man’s parents said that their son could speak for himself because they knew that if they took up for Jesus and showed their faith in him they would be kicked out of the synagogue. Think about this for a minute. The Jewish religion is what these people lived for. God, their temple, and their religious practices is what gave them hope in the troubling times they were living in. The parents of the blind man did not want to lose access to their temple, group of friends, and their way of life. They chose the world. But the healed man chose Jesus. He was called in front of the religious leaders a second time, and again put his faith in Jesus and His miraculous powers. He was banned from his synagogue.

This is where Jesus shows His compassionate love. Jesus heard the man had been kicked out of his synagogue and went to find him. Jesus finds him and asks him if he believes in the Son of Man. The healed man asks who He is, and Jesus tells him that he is looking at He. The healed man immediately began worshipping Jesus.

Jesus knew how difficult it would be for the healed man to be kicked out the only place he could go worship God. The man maybe would begin to doubt his decision and wonder if he made the right choice. Jesus found this man and reaffirmed that he did the right thing by standing in faith. Jesus showed compassion even after performing a miracle. His compassion and love go beyond the obvious picture of love.

Then in John 13, Jesus shows love as He washes His disciples’ feet. The picture of Jesus lowering Himself to a servant and stooping down to wash feet is humbling enough, but then we see Him wash Judas’ feet. Jesus broke bread and served a man who minutes later would go out into the world and turn Jesus in for a mere amount of money. When I think about how I would react to a person that I knew was about to betray me, it does not look at all the way Jesus acted. Even though He knew the sin Judas was about to commit, His love for him was not changed. Jesus loves unconditionally and sacrificially. He gives us an opportunity to change until the very moment we make the decision to sin.

I’m asking each of us, “How do we need to love more like Jesus?”

How can we love beyond the initial moment; in a way that shows compassion even when it is inconvenient for us and gets in the way of our schedule? I do not believe this is something we can do on our own, we completely must rely on the Holy Spirit to do this through us. Our human nature is selfish and does not want to be inconvenienced. Jesus’ love for us is beyond anything we can do, but through Him anything is possible. As always, the first step is asking for His help. Examine your heart and ask God to intervene where you are lacking compassion for others.

Think of Jesus’ love for you and be encouraged to spread that love to others.

“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set an example that you should do as I have done for you.” John 13:14-15

“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgement.” 1 John 4:15-17

Digging Deeper:

How have you seen God’s love and compassion in your life?

Who is God calling you to love unconditionally?

How does worldly convenience keep you from loving others?