Crazy Love

Recently I posted on Facebook, a picture of Mother's Teresa's feet:  disfigured feet, because of Mother Teresa's propensity to give away the best shoes to others -- wearing left-over shoes -- herself.

The response was striking -- as I noted that few of us ever allow ourselves to be that inconvenienced.  Translated:  we don't tend to sacrifice -- laying down our lives for 'the other.'  

But self-sacrifice is a mega theme within the New Covenant.  For we are to be "...robust in [our] love..."  (Ephesians 4:16, Msg) -- doing crazy, 'upside down things,' in line with Christ's upside-down Kingdom (to use Don Kraybill's phrase) -- literally sacrificing ourselves one for 'the other.'

And so indeed:  lay down your life, sacrificing for 'the other.'  For as John notes in 1 John 3:16 – “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 [and sisters].”  (1 John 3:16).

On January 28, 2014,  Dr. Zenko Hrynkiw of Brookwood Medical Center, heard that a patient at  sister hospital Trinity Medical Center needed emergency surgery and no surgeon was available.  And so Hrynkiw set out to help.  But there was a big problem:  all the roads in Birmingham, AL (the location of the hospitals) were impassible because of a violent winter storm.  And so Hrynkiw did the unthinkable:  the 62-year-old doctor put on his coat over his hospital scrubs, and began to walk the six miles between Brookwood and Trinity -- in the ice and snow!  As he did, he struggled, slipping, sliding and falling -- but Hrynkiw kept walking  -- finally arriving at Trinty -- performing the emergency surgery -- and saving the patient's life.  Later at a press conference, Hrynkiw was praised for sacrificing -- for literally 'going the second mile.'    Responding, Hrynkiw noted:  "It really wasn't that big of a deal." Any good doctor would have done the same thing.  The patient was dying and "that wasn't going to happen on my shift."  But hospital officials begged to disagree; as Keith Granger, Trinity's CEO remarked:  It was "...a remarkable physical feat and mental feat. And we have an individual alive today, [because of Hrynkiw's] efforts." Mark Memmott, "Brain Surgeon Walks 6 Miles through Storm to Save Patient," NPR Two-Way blog (1-31-14)

Jesus would agree: self-sacrifice is a remarkable physical feat and mental effort.  But it's a much-needed effort.  For in a hurting world we don’t need more hurt, we need more love -- robust love – overflowing -- that is willing to sacrifice for the other.  For as “…Jesus Christ laid down his life for us, we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters (1 John 3:16).  

Lay down your life for your brothers and sisters.   For as we’re 'Jesus to each other,' His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us, strengthening us! 

Let Jesus’ breath and blood flow through you: nourishing, strengthening. For it's not self-interest that matters, it's the crazy love of Jesus that matters, as we sacrifice for the other. 

Sacrifice for the other! Give up part of your day, to love as Jesus loved.  Yes, it's a crazy, 'upside down' idea -- but -- the most loving way to live, as we go beyond self-interest, serving the needs of others.  

For “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 [and sisters].”  (1 John 3:16).

Sounds crazy, doesn't it?

But such sacrifice is the very stuff and substance of life -- abundant life in Jesus!