Undoubtedly there are people in your life that you care very deeply for, they might be parents or grandparents, or children, or friends with whom you have shared extraordinary life circumstances. Sometimes the roots of our relationships, like the roots of a forest full of trees,  go so deep we are willing to make difficult sacrifices for our loved ones.  People donate kidneys, or put themselves in harms way to protect others.

My question to them, and to you, even to those amazing individuals who are willing to risk their lives for the protection of others: Would you choose to die for anyone?  It seems to me that being willing to risk your life is quite a different thing from offering your life.   Yet Jesus didn’t risk His life for us, He gave His life for us.  Not only did He give up His life for His friends, His family, the “good people”, He sacrificed Himself for all.

All.

All of the criminals like the ones hanging on crosses on either side of Jesus.  All of the people who denied Him and spit on Him both figuratively and literally.  All of the sins of the past, all of the sins of the people who won’t even be born for another 2000 years.

He didn’t deserve it.  He couldn’t pass it off to someone else. It had to be done, and He did it!

How can we respond to that gift?

Accept the truth.  Turn from your sin.  Follow Jesus. Share this with someone who doesn’t know Him.