What Would You Give?

​What Would You Give?
 
Greater love has no one than this that someone lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13
 
I have a friend who was willing to donate a kidney to a stranger in order for her friend to move up on the donor list. She wasn't a match for her friend. So, she offered to do the next best thing, donate to someone else and in return her friend would get a kidney when a matching donor was found. She went through multiple tests, collected her pee for an entire weekend-twice, and was on call for months waiting to be summoned to the hospital for a kidney extraction- all for the sole purpose of giving her friend a chance at a longer, healthier life.
 
When she first told me what she was doing and asked me to pray for her, John 15:13 filled my mind, "Greater love has no one than this that someone lay down his life for his friends." The second thought was, "Would I do that for one of my friends?" I am not sure. You see my friend was willing to be inconvenienced for her friend. Her love transcended her schedule, routine, job, tiredness, obligations, leisure activities and personal desires. Her love was greater than her life.  
 
Jesus calls us to love others as he loved us. That is a tall order, especially for me. Jesus' love for us was greater than his love for his own life. I find it hard to sacrifice my daily life for others. I like my routines. I keep lists and have mental plans for every day. I don't like interruptions and spontaneous is not my middle name. It is not something I am proud of, but it is hard for me to be flexible in order to meet the needs of others. I am not very good at laying down MY life for my friends (or family) sometimes. But, that is what I am called to do by the one who laid down his life for me. God has been growing me in this area of relinquishing for others. The first step for me is to be willing to give things up, and sometimes that is all that is ever asked of me.
 
What is God tapping you to relinquish control over today? What does love need to become greater than in your life? Show a friend you love her this week by giving something up in order to do something special just for her.
 
In case you are wondering, my friend didn't have to donate her kidney in the end. God provided one for her friend.
 
Dear Lord,
Let our love be greater than our agendas.  
 

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