Written by Mary Rose “Mutya” Febre

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.” – I John 3:16

Simple. Straightforward. The Scripture gives a clear-cut definition of love, one that cuts through hollow and sentimental renditions often found today. The book of I John reiterates that God and love are inseparable. God’s very nature is love. Self-giving and emptying, humility and sacrifice are salient marks of divine love. At its best and fullest, love is to be found in the laying down of life. Jesus, the Word Incarnate, demonstrated this and had set a clear path for His people to follow and walk through.

This path that calls for ‘laying down of life’ is not an optional road. This is the way to authenticate our knowledge and experience of God. No alternative route is given. If you know God, then you know love. If you know love, then you ought to lay down your life. The argument sounds neat, easy, and logical. But the demand proves heavy and hard, if not impossible. The grace and strength to die such death come from God alone.

This road less traveled brings us to places we would rather not go and it exposes false expressions of compassion and care. Love of others opens us to the possibility of betrayal and heartache. It is impossible to love without becoming radically vulnerable. The love that God demonstrated through Jesus rendered Him defenseless at the Cross. Though He has all the power He willingly became powerless. His life-giving love was accomplished through emptying and death.

Of course, most of the time loving our brothers doesn’t lead to literal death (although it can). The practice of love calls us to embrace little ‘deaths’ and occasional ‘emptying’. Dying to pride, emptying ourselves of malice and lust, denying ourselves certain comfort, choosing to forgive, or speaking the truth in love are just some concrete expressions this laying down of life takes.

Such dying, unpleasant and unwelcome as it is, is necessary if we are to love.
Abandoning our need to be reciprocated, recognized, or accepted frees us to recklessly love others. The call to take the road of risky love is given to each of us who claim to know the God of love.