More… Love

More… love
John 13:34-35

34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35 NRS)

More love, Jesus says, more love
And in this case a very particular kind of love.
Not the love you have for your spouse or partner.
Not the love you have for your family.
Not even the type of love you have for friends.

It’s a type of love that should be present in all those relationships, and it’s also the type of love that extends outward, seeking no reward, without expectation.

A love that is more because what it does in the world.
This love is sacrificial love.
The type of love that sacrifices for the other.
The type of love that breaks down the clusters we form.
The type of love that extends beyond boundaries.
More love. In humbling yourself the kingdom of God comes near.

So… why the struggle with love? Why don’t we do this? Why don’t we love more?
Sacrificial loves comes from a commitment to God’s kingdom coming near… not an imposition of our own kingdom coming near.
When we are busy every single day, sorting ourselves into ever smaller and smaller groups of people, building our own kingdoms of people who think, act and see the world the same way we do we can far too often howl and rail against everyone else… our love… get’s small… shrivels.

And so our kingdoms, our world view get’s small… shrivels.
And we no longer see God’s kingdom…

But what if… we seek more love not within ourselves but by giving ourselves away?
But what if… we live into God’s kingdom by living into the creed Jesus is Lord?