Wednesday, October 26, 2022

October 26, 2022

John 13: 23 (NIV)
One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him.
Stop and ask Jesus to remind you how He sees you.*
In the sensitivity training required by my job, we were taught to refer to a handicapped individual as “a person with a disability” rather than as “a disabled person.” Not being so very sensitive myself, I failed to see the distinction at first. Then I thought of it in terms of myself being referred to as “the lady with blonde hair” as opposed to “The Blonde.” How much of our self-worth is tangled up with how we identify ourselves?

Is John being just a little bit arrogant, claiming a special relationship with the Lord?  I have heard that this may have been a literary device employed in the Jewish culture at this time. Also, I sense humility in John’s refusal to include his own name in the story - though there might be a hint of pride – or gratitude, perhaps – in knowing that he is loved by Jesus.

Philip Yancey, in his book, What’s so Amazing about Grace? poses these questions: “What would it mean, I ask myself, if I too came to the place where I saw my primary identity in life as ‘the one Jesus loves’? How differently would I view myself at the end of a day?”* I think that someone who can define himself as “the one whom Jesus loves” has a clear idea of his value. This person knows the price that Jesus paid for him; and knowing that price, longs to be more worthy of the honor and the sacrifice.

What do you see as your primary identity in life? Are you a mom? A loyal employee? A good person?  Is this your most valuable quality? Or is your worth factor determined by the blood of the Lamb?
What a value hath God set upon the soul! He made it after his image, he redeemed it with Christ's blood.*


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