No Greater Love

"to lay down one's life"

John 15:13

If you live in the United States, you're probably well aware of the what happened last month at the U.S. embassy in Benghazi, Libya.  Actually, even if you're don't live in the U.S., there's a good chance you're aware.  Four Americans died on September 11 of this year, when the embassy was attacked.  The event has been the source of controversy and debate for weeks now, as Republicans and Democrats seek to find out what happened, and in some cases, point fingers as to which side did something wrong.

I'm certainly not going to get political here, but I have been thinking a lot about this.  It's hard not to; it's on the television a lot.  But mostly, I think about the people; the four men who died ~ Christopher Stevens, Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty.  Stevens was our Ambassador, Smith was on his staff, Woods and Doherty were security.

For all four men, their jobs were dangerous.  They were working in an area of the world that is politically unstable, and often unfriendly to the U.S., and they knew it.  I so admire that kind of courage.  It always astounds me when I think about people who make the decision to do something dangerous ~ military, police, firefighters, missionaries in dangerous places... there are a lot of them.  Most of them doing something I can't; all of them doing something I won't.   It's not just admiration I have; it's appreciation, too.

No one wants to die.   And yet, there are those who willingly, knowingly put themselves in a position where they know they might.  And most of the time, they are serving others.

That's what I was thinking about today.  Those who are willing to die for the sake of someone else.  I want very much to be like Jesus.   But sometimes, when I look at others, I don't even think I'm coming close.

~ "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain" ~

Philippians 1:21