While talking to my daughter on the
phone the other day, we talked about how she is navigating through some alignment
changes and role transitions in her work setting. She decided to find some ways to look at her
challenges ahead in some new ways.
So, she went through her closet,
sorted through her clothes, weeded out some “old” outfits, and off she went to
her local clothing consignment shop.
As she traded in some of her old
things, she made room in her budget and in her closet for some “new”
things. Even though they were someone else’s
old things, she was putting them into use in her life, in a new way. In a very real way, she was taking off the
old and putting on the new!
Jesus says in today’s reading that He
is giving a new commandment. What was
that NEW commandment? Love one
another!
Something in me wants to say, “But
Jesus, that isn’t anything new!!”
So how is Jesus’ challenging us to
take a different perspective of what seems old and bring new life to His words, "Love one another?"
John 13:1 says, “Jesus knew that
His hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His
own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.”
John 13:3-4 say, “Jesus, knowing
that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God
and was going back to God, rose from supper.
He laid aside His outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around His
waist”
Jesus LOVED in a new way! He took off the old garments of being self-serving
or needing to prove Himself and put on NEW garments of love expressing itself
in humble, sacrificial service.
He humbly washed their feet although
He knew how each of them was going to betray Him. He knew He must go to the cross for them, even
these who were weak, self-centered, and capable of the most heinous betrayal. He
knew that His love for them would harden the hearts of some and renew the
hearts of others. Either way, He chose to
love them to the end!
We love, but often with a conditional
caveat. “I will love you IF . . .”
We love, but often with a guarded
heart, shrinking back in fear. We hold back
on completely opening our hearts for fear of being hurt. “I will love you WHEN . . .”
We love, but often with the weight
of our self-protecting armor, putting up an impenetrable shield around our
vulnerable hearts. “I will love EXCEPT .
. .”
How can I take off the old garments
of self-centered “conditional,” “guarded” or “armored” love and boldly love as
Jesus did?
How is God inviting me to weed out my "old" garments of love to make room for His "new" re-aligned garments of love?
Lord, help me to clothe myself in
Your endless, sacrificial love for me! Remove
from me the shame of my past, how I have often been self-serving. Show me how You want to reflect the light of
Your amazing love through me today!
