Who Deserves it More?

In spending some time this week considering God's love for me, the question crossed my mind: Would I be willing to die for someone else?  In reading the book of John, I came to this verse John 15:13 "Greater love has no man than this, than to lay down one's own life for his friends."  I've given money to friends when they've needed it, and I've even taken blame for mistakes at work so that a coworker wouldn't be reprimanded.  But if push came to shove, could I make the decision to give my life for someone else?  It takes some soul searching to try to come to an honest answer.  I think that most husbands (good ones anyway) would say that they give their life for their wife and the majority of parents would willingly sacrifice their own if it meant saving a child's life.  But what about a sibling? A cousin? The guy or girl who sits in the office across the hall?  The jerk who cut you off this evening on the way home?  If you're like me you got to the end of the list of choices I gave there and thought, "Yeah right...I'm not even going to yield for that guy let alone give my life for him."  Somehow we seem to be able to place a value on the lives of the people around us and make judgement calls based on who deserves our love. 

One of my favorite authors, Donald Miller, calls this the "Lifeboat Theory."  In his book, Searching For God Knows What, Miller describes a scenario where people are (and I will paraphrase to save time) drifting through life in a big lifeboat.  As food begins to run out, we look at each other and assign value and try to justify why we are better than everyone else.  No one is about to risk death and give up their ration of food so someone else can live, right?  He then applies that to our everyday lives.  I deserve to live more than "that" guy...I have a graduate college degree.  I'm clean-cut, give 10% and wear a tie every week to church...clearly I deserve to be rescued before that kid that wears all black to church with piercings and black nail polish.   I have a certificate in Biblical Studies from an online seminary, sing in the choir, serve food to the homeless and attend prayer meeting...that woman only vacuums the sanctuary once a week, why does she deserve to live more than me?

Stay with me, here's the point - isn't it a good thing that God's love doesn't work like that?  I'm sure glad, because I've screwed up many times and I've spent years not being willing to serve in the church.  If my hope of God's love was based on service or who is most 'perfect' - I'd be fairly low on the list.  But I'm sure I would be able to look around and try to justify why I am better than that person or that guy or some woman at work.  We are all created in God's image and He loves each of us unconditionally.  And here's the kicker...He was willing to give His life for us and took it one step further...gave up the one thing most precious to Him...His Son!  I may be willing at some point in my life to make a decision to give up my life for someone else, but tell my son I'm giving HIS life for someone else's...not a chance!  And that's why I am glad He's God and I am not dependent on my own abilities to attain His love and grace.

We all know the verse John 3:16 and we see it on signs at almost every football game, but how often do we really think about the depth of God's love for us that he would send us His son?  He sure loves us!!  God doesn't play favorites and check out some list of who's been naughty or nice...we don't have to be perfect for God to love us...thankfully.  Here's one of my favorite verses:  "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this:  while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  (Romans 5:8)  God doesn't wait for us to deserve love.  God gave his life for the jerk who cut him off in traffic.  God loves us whether we have a college degree or can't read and write.  God loves us whether we have the Bible memorized or never opened the front cover.  God loves Billy Graham and my foul-mouthed, lying, cheating and drunken neighbors.**

"So are we supposed to be looking for opportunities to die??" - Ummm, nope.  But we sure can give of ourselves in other ways.  We can sacrifice ourselves by giving up the great seat on the bus.  We can park farther away from the front door of a store so an older lady doesn't have to walk as far in the cold.  We can skip lunch tomorrow and buy a sandwich for the homeless guy on the corner that everyone else walks by.  We can forego buying Christmas presents for our spouses this year and instead buy some toys for kids whose parent(s) are in jail.  We are no better than they are and God loves us the same.  Shouldn't we try to love others that way too?

**To my knowledge, none of my neighbors meet this description and I am not intentionally describing someone you know.  If you feel that I was describing you, perhaps that is God's way of telling you something!!