Sacrifice is one of the greatest expressions of love. By sacrifice, I mean giving up the comfort and pleasure of your life to benefit someone else. The movie Seven Pounds, starring Will Smith, is an excellent example of sacrificial love. In this movie, Smith gives up his life to make 7 individuals’ lives better.
If love is sacrifice, then, again, Jesus is the greatest lover of all. In John 15:13, Jesus reminds us that sacrifice is the greatest love: “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Jesus made a great sacrifice to die for us. He gave up angelic room service and other five-star accommodations in Heaven to be born in a manger in Bethlehem. He gave up being the CEO of the universe to be a constituent therein. He even gave up listening to the praises and prayers of men to be spit on and called an agent of Satan. He didn’t have to do it, but He did!
I’m not sure if you’ve thought about it, but the friends He mentioned in John 15:13 includes you! Jesus died to save you from your sin. Happy Valentine’s Day!