A Love like Jesus'

  It wasn't very long ago that I first "met" Roger Flournoy Jr. via a short documentary of sorts produced by the Austin Stone Community Church.  

  Mr. Flournoy has cerebral palsy, but despite the challenges that this presents, he is a passionate and convicting example of choosing to have faith and be joyful in the Lord.  

  Today as I was reading some of his tweets, I found this excellent quote:

  "My goal for this year is only to love people the way that Jesus loves them."

  Mr. Flournoy's goal challenges me.  

  In a world that knows "love" primarily as "showing affection (or doing whatever it takes) to gain whatever I want", the sacrificial love of Jesus Christ is completely baffling.  

  If I were to passionately, honestly pursue this goal, what a drastic change would take place!  Of course, it is necessary to find out what the love of Jesus Christ really looks like; therefore, a continual taking in and meditating on Scripture is key.  

  Recently, I've been reading through Matthew and Mark and have seen many of the things that Jesus did during His time on earth in a physical body.  From the Gospel books, I gain so much understanding of Jesus' type of love.  From reaching out to diseased and despised women to socially-terrifying lepers, Jesus showed His unconcern for social stereotypes or physical contaminants.  One of the most striking examples to me of Jesus' lack of self-awareness and love and concern for others is illustrated in Matthew 14:3, 10, 12-14, 

 "For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife. 

And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison. 

And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus. 

When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities. 

And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick."

  Despite the sorrow He must have felt at the death of His cousin (as a Man) and the death of His holy servant (as the Son of God), despite the sadness over the depravity of mankind that would lead to such a murder, Jesus instead focused on the needs and hurts of those around Him.  That is a love like no other.  That is a love that the world doesn't understand, can't offer, and, too often, doesn't experience from believers.  


  This is the year for that to change.  With the Lord's help, I will pursue this goal.