Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. John 15:13

In light of what we’ve been studying on Sunday mornings, I wanted to share this devotional written by Dr. David Jeremiah…

John Harper, a Scottish Baptist pastor and a widower, was on board the RMS Titanic when it struck an iceberg and sank. He put his young daughter and niece in a lifeboat and stayed behind to preach the Gospel to fearful passengers. As the Titanic was about to sink, he finally jumped into the freezing waters but did not survive. Being the caretaker of two young children, he could have claimed a seat in a lifeboat, but he gave his life for others.

John Harper displayed, according to Jesus, the greatest love one can show: laying down one’s life for his friends. Eternity will no doubt reveal those who found eternal life because a faithful pastor gave his life for them. In that way, John Harper imitated the sacrifice of Christ who gave His life that we might live. Rare are the occasions when one person is called upon to die that another might live. Yet we can demonstrate the “greatest love” in countless other ways when we die to our own desires and choose the good of another over ourselves. 

Look for an opportunity today to demonstrate Christ’s “greatest love” for the sake of another.

A man by the name of Keith Miller once wrote: “Our job is to love people we don’t have to love.”