This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. This is my command: Love each other.

(John 15:12-17 NLT)

My community group is reading Radical by David Platt right now. Our last chapter talked about giving and blind spots in our spiritual lives.

This scripture hits home every time I read it. Jesus commands us to love each other the same way that He loves us: with our whole lives even if it kills us, in other words. Doing whatever it takes to share His love with the people of the world.

This is intense. We were talking just yesterday about what it would take for us to sell everything and give it to the poor as Jesus asked the rich young man to do in Matthew.

Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

(Matthew 19:21, 22 NLT)

I pray that in my own life I am able to say no to possessions in order to say yes to Jesus. I know it’s possible to give more. We wondered how much should we give? How much should we save in wisdom without saving to the point of being greedy or hoarding?

The answer is probably give more than is comfortable. Love each other in the same way I have loved you. Love people around you extravagantly.

Lord Jesus, your love and sacrifice for me is so immense. I am intimidated by your command that I should love the people around me with that much love. Please open my eyes today to see who I can show your love to, and how to do it. Give me courage to be bold in loving others.