When a needle falls into a deep well, many people will look into the well,
but few will be ready to go down after it.
African Proverb

I was talking to a friend recently who was telling me about something they wrote down in a book, which involved giving up everything for their children and it led to a conversation about what true love was about.  Indeed, this statement was very much akin to the famous Bible verse:

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” – John 5:13

People don’t seem to think that they actually have to do this.  Perhaps they have romantic notions of jumping in front of a gun to save a loved one, in the vain hope that it will never happen, but this is not the full extent of the verse.  Often, Bible verses have a dual meaning and one of those meanings usually refers to Jesus.  Jesus laid down his life for us quite literally and we are privileged to be able to call Him our friend.  He died so that we could live instead.

The duality refers to love by the setting aside of self for the benefit of others.  How often do we run away from a friend who is going through a difficult time because it causes us to expend great effort and achieve little reward?  How often do we point the finger at someone whose situation we don’t approve of or who is not doing something as we would, because it is easier to cut them off than to love them as God would?  How often do relationships cool because we lose the willingness to lay down our lives for those whom we love?

The proverb at the top is true.  Sad, isn’t it?