No Greater Love

Key Verse to Read and Treasure

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.—John 15:13

For Insight

What would you do for a very good friend? How deep are the friendships you have with others? Are they deep enough to lay down your life for them? Is there anything you wouldn’t do for them? Are they those that you have been through thick and thin, ups and downs with? Have a bond so tight no one could tear it apart?

Saul’s son Jonathan and David had the kind of friendship where there wasn’t anything they would not have done to help, protect, or care for one another. Their friendship formed while Saul was still king and even though Saul became jealous of David and turned against him, Jonathan didn’t. The Bible says their souls were knit together. They were true soulmates (I Samuel 18:3). Jonathan made a covenant to protect David and that‘s what he did to the very end of his life. After Saul was killed, along with his son Jonathan in battle against the Philistines David took Jonathan’s son into his home and cared for him as though he were his own.

Jesus said there is no greater love than someone willing to lay down their life for a friend. Not everyone is friendship material, and we might not be willing to lay down our life for all our friends, but when we make friends with goodhearted, honorable, God-fearing, and loving people they are friendships worth nurturing and protecting.

Jesus came to be our Savior but he also came to be our friend. He told the disciples, “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends” (John 15:15). Could there be any higher honor than to be called a friend of Jesus? To be called a friend of God? That is what God called Abraham and shared with Abraham things only a friend would share with one he trusted (Ex. 33:11).

Natural friendships are developed in different ways. People bond over mutual interests and similar struggles. If their interests remain the friendship continues but as soon as one pursues other interests the friendship goes away. Jonathan and David exampled a friendship that was deeper than natural, it was Spirit-bound. The same kind of friendship and bond Jesus has with us. When we walk with the Spirit, we learn to love Jesus and we learn how to be not only his disciple, his follower, and servant we learn how to be his friend.

Jesus, thank you for considering me your friend and laying down your life for me. I want to be your friend too. Teach me how. Amen   

Application:

Jesus has already proven he is the kind of friend that would lay down his life for a friend. Are you that kind of friend to Jesus? Would, or have you laid down your life for him or is the friendship only one-sided? Has Jesus given up everything and you nothing or very little?

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