Friday | Week 10
Within this week’s passage, we find an incredibly challenging statement from Jesus: “He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal” (John 12:25, NASB). It is understandable when people wrestle with this expectation of being a disciple! As Christ followers, are we supposed to hate prime rib, walks on the beach, weddings, baby showers, and beautiful sunsets? No. That’s not what Jesus is implying.
You don’t need to hate the pleasures of this life in order to follow Jesus. But, you must love Jesus more than the pleasures of this life. In the original language, the word miséō is used here. It can be understood as comparative language in the context of this verse. Essentially, it means that Christians must love life less than we love the giver of life. We must elevate and value the Lord over everything else. Other verses that support this idea include:
God’s love is better than life (Psalm 63:3).
The world and its desire pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever
(1 John 2:17).For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21).
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (Matthew 22:37).
Here is the challenge: abandon our self-centered existence. Author R. Tasker urges, “Do not live in conformity to the standards of the world, if the higher element in you is to be preserved unto life eternal. By looking to Jesus, a life of service to Him is made possible; and that life of service constitutes the ‘dying in order to live,’ which is the theme of Jesus’ teaching in this passage.” 1 Jesus clearly demonstrated through His life that He would do anything for the Father. For those who follow Him, this passage compels us to that same obedience.
I particularly love John 12:25 in the Da Jesus Book (the Hawaiian Pidgin translation): “Whoeva like hang on to dea life, dey goin lose um. But whoeva give up dea life in dis world, goin hang on to um, an stay live to da max foeva.”