By this we know love, that He laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. (I John 3:16 ESV)
Love
A little known stage magician in the 19th century performed a bit of trickery in which he made a member of his audience disappear. She reappeared suddenly in another part of the building, without time, pathway, or evidence of her travel. He performed this act daily for two weeks. And then he stopped.
No one knew exactly how he did the trick.
He never revealed his method, no cynic was able to determine the means of disappearance, and even the audience member could not explain what happened.
But his stage trick began an exciting time in the history of stage magic. Magicians performed their own version of his trick. And over a few years, dozens of similar prestidigitations were invented, developed, and displayed.
But nothing ever matched the original. Even to this day.
Love is extremely rare in the universe. Certainly, reflections of Love are more common. But Love itself, unconditional, unrewarded, selfless, costly, and full of devoted focus is almost unheard of.
But Jesus showed us Love. And by HIS Love, we know that love exists. And by HIS Love, we know what it looks like. And by HIS Love we are enabled to imitate Him.
And it is not simply sacrificing one’s life that defines Love. It is the fact that HE laid down His life.
Jesus is the original Love, that the rest of us try to copy.