How Well Do We Love?

John 18:37 (ESV): Leaving a Legacy of Love

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

A little over a month ago, I attended my second-cousin’s viewing: He was 47 when he passed away of stage four pancreatic cancer. Even though Frank and I lost touch over the years, his passing resonated deep within me, touching a personal place in my heart, reminding me of the short space of my earthly life. Death, when it strikes close to home, often reminds us about what truly matters -- family, love, and friendship.

In John’s Gospel, Jesus answers Pilate’s pointed question about kingship. Jesus says, in essence, that his own kingliness is not that which anyone of the “world” understands. Jesus does not declare himself a king of this world. Instead, he says something that connotes the opposite. Jesus declares himself as a witness to truth. Pilate -- a man of politics, warfare, power, and position -- does not understand truth as Jesus attests. Truth, according to Pilate, is slippery and loosely defined within the context of the moment, factoring in advantage and control. But Jesus himself is the truth. All that Jesus teaches, exemplifies, and preaches is God’s truth. And God’s truth, in a word, is love. This love is a foreign language to the likes of Pilate, for love is a truth that mounts the cross in self-sacrifice for for others -- yes, even Pilate.

When I kneeled near Frank’s open casket to offer a prayer, I noticed something. Propped against his right hand was a homemade cardboard sign in the shape of one of those 1980’s World Wrestling Federation championship belts. It read “Saint Ann’s Tag Teem Champions,” scrawled in what looked like his second-grade hand. When I saw this, it told a hidden story, and the purity of childhood friendships came to mind. From the crooked penmanship to the phonetically-spelled “teem,” I was reminded of childhood simplicity. As children, our love connotes innocence, devotion to others, trust, and unbridled friendships. Through God’s blessings, an enduring love is the truth we forge as our legacy to the world: How well do we love? And from what I gathered at his viewing, Frank loved (and was loved) much.

Jesus tells Pilate plainly: “Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” I pray that our ears be open to the truth of Jesus’ life. And I pray that our lives create a legacy of God’s love for all of the people we encounter each day, from the families we raise to the lives we serve throughout the world.

Have a blessed week!

Stan