The cost of loving just went up...

It has been said that love doesn’t come cheap. That is a true statement! Love isn’t free, or cheap. The Bible tells us that God demonstrated His great love for us in that while we were sinners Christ died for us (see Romans 5:8). Love is demonstrated, active, expensive. With love there is risk. The greater the risk the greater the love’s potential. Risk, loss and cost are all three associated with great love. Jesus told us that no greater love can any man demonstrate than his willingness to lay down His life for His friends. The casual reader would say “that’s true!” and not even realize that there has only been one person who was able to fulfill that statement. I know some will say that about the person who charged into the fire to save another, or the soldier who dove on the hand grenade. All of these are acts of love true enough but only Jesus was able to “lay down” His life. Jesus didn’t have to die, He was without sin, perfect, and could live forever as a man. The firefighter, and the soldier died EARLY. Jesus died willingly.
Jesus demonstrated great, expensive, extravagant love. Why demonstrate? So we could see how it is done. What do you have to give that no one else can give? You might say “nothing”, that isn’t true. If you are a dad, you are the only biological dad your child has, only you can give your child the gift of a loving father that God intended your child to have. If you’re a coworker, you are the only worker at your business that is like you, your presence there is exclusive and individual, how can you be a presence at work that will demonstrate the love God has for your coworkers? Who are you best friends with? You are the only best friend with that person that is exactly like you. How are you demonstrating God’s love to your best friend? Do you see? You hold exclusive rights to being YOU. Give yourself as Christ demonstrated- so the world might know the love God has for them.