Down a Notch

1 John 3:16
We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. (NLT)

When I was a young child I would go to the Saturday matinee at the local movie theater. There was always a double feature with a serial between them. I do not remember any of the feature movies, but I do remember the serial. It was Superman. He was "faster than a speeding bullet..."

When we read this verse, we might think about jumping in front of a bullet to spare another's life. Of course the bullet would not bounce off of us as it did Superman in those old movies. We would give up this human life to save another.

Our lives are not just this human body. As a matter of fact, Jesus died for us to live. As believers we are already dead to this world and alive to the next. From that new life, we cannot die.

I do not think this verse is speaking about jumping in front of a bullet or any other dramatic ways to save someone from physical harm. He is speaking about our way of life.

Are we willing to step down a notch or two to allow someone else to step up? Will we give up something in our life so someone else might have it instead?

What are we doing this week to help someone else out? Perhaps it is a family without food or shelter or just a person in need of a friend that cares. Would we be willing to drop cable television to give that money to someone in need each month? What about giving up that cappuccino at the coffee shop each morning? Or even going out of our way every Sunday to bring someone to church?

Isn't it time to step down a notch and allow someone else to step up?