August 14: Insight Post by Bret Burzio
Friday Insight Post
by J. Bret Burzio, Sr.
A life filled with love. I really like the sound of that, don’t you? I have been thinking about our verse on Service from Ephesians 5:2 (NLT) this week that says, “Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered Himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.” So, we are called to live a life filled with love as Jesus lived His. So far so good! He loved us, so we are to love others. Okay, I am definitely still tracking with a life filled with love. He offered His life as a sacrifice for us. Hmmm, this seems to be getting a little more weighty and might give some pause. And I think that’s a good thing because the type of sacrifice this verse is talking about surely does have a cost. But a worthy one!
Jesus lived (and loved) to serve others. We see this in Luke 22:27 (NASB), “…but I am among you as the one who serves,” and Mark 10:45 (NASB), “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” There it is again: we see there was a cost to Jesus’ service. And it was all out of a perfect love for us and for God. So, what are some of those costs involved in serving? Time is certainly a cost. Serving usually demands some energy. There is often a financial cost in serving. These were all costs that Jesus experienced while showing us how to serve others. And of course, He paid the ultimate price on the cross to pay for our sins. I think the reason we are called to follow His example is that the help Jesus gave to others wasn’t just temporary; it was life-altering.
It was transformative. I think through our humility and service to others He continues to make those kinds of transformative changes in others. And in that process, He fills us with a love indescribable and that overflows. In fact, it overflows such that it becomes a pleasing aroma to God. Our sacrifices, or the things that it costs us to serve others, rise all the way up to heaven and please our Heavenly Father. And for me at least, that makes living a life filled with love so, so worth it!
J. Bret Burzio, Sr.
Executive Administrator
New Hope Church
Lorton, Virginia
newhope.org