“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”
— John 15:13 (NKJV)
The greatest sacrifice of all time was Jesus’ dying on the cross to make it possible for us to go to heaven. He himself did nothing wrong, yet he died so that we might live. Jesus said that his followers were to love each other in the same way — ready to make sacrifices.
You probably will never have a chance to sacrifice your life for a friend in some dangerous, life-or-death situation. You may never be called on to rescue a drowning person or hunt in a blizzard for a lost child. However, you can make other sacrifices for your friends. What can you give up? Time. Energy. Sometimes money. You can give a friend time to listen to her problems when you’d rather go shopping or watch TV. You can help when a friend is loaded down with work or needs assistance on a project. And you can pray for them.
Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves at all times.” That’s more than when it’s just fun or convenient. While few of us will ever be called on to give up our lives for a friend, we can daily think of others and make the sacrifices that we can.
More to Explore: Romans 5:6 – 8
Girl Talk: Have you ever sacrificed something for a friend? How did that make you feel? How did your friend feel?
God Talk: “Lord, I thank you for giving up your life for me. Help me find ways to help my friends and family and to help with a willing heart. Thank you for your wonderful example. Amen.”
From No Boys Allowed by Kristi Holl