Easter is a special day. It celebrates the purist love known to man, the love of one human choosing to die for another. I know there's debate about whether the story of Jesus rising from the dead is true, but there is no debate that I can find about whether Jesus chose to die for us, in fact, there's much historical evidence to support this, so Jesus' choice is what I want to focus on in today's Easter blog.
Stories in books and movies celebrate the person who chooses to die for family, friends, or strangers. Why do we celebrate this? Because we all wish we would do the same thing, but we know deep down inside that we probably won't. Self-preservation is strong in most of us, but self-preservation is not held up as the human ideal; rather, it is often represented as cowardice, and we scorn the person who grabs the life preserver out of another's hands.
Jesus said, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13) and "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Mark 12:31). But the important point isn't that Jesus said the words, it is that he lived them. He did lay down his life for us, not knowing for sure that he would rise from the dead, and he loved us, his neighbors, more than he loved himself.
I find it telling that Jesus did not ask us to do as he did and love our neighbors more than ourselves. Perhaps it is because he knew that that is too much to ask from us; perhaps Jesus knew we would have a difficult enough time loving our neighbors at all, so asking us to love them as much as ourselves was the task he presented us with, what he wanted us to strive for, because he knew it was the one we could achieve.
Long ago, perhaps forty years ago or so, a friend and I were discussing Jesus' words and whether they had any value if Jesus was not, in fact, the son of God. I'll never forget my friends words, "Sure they do because how Jesus taught us to live is the best way to live. The world doesn't run well at all when people put themselves before others." Ah, a light bulb moment.
And so simple too. If we were all willing to die for one another, and we were to love others, friend or foe, acquaintance or stranger, similar or wildly different, as much as we love ourselves, the world would be, quite simply, a heaven on earth because no one would strive to be more than, to have more than another.
And maybe that's what Jesus was telling us before he died for us. The secret to making our world a heaven is in our own actions. We act like Jesus, and we create a good world for everyone. We scorn his words, and we get the world we have today--war, poverty, greed, inequality, ugliness, despair, and hopelessness.
Easter reminds us of our potential. It's not too late to change our ways; the choice is always ours. We just have to make the choice.
Happy Easter,
Kate
ray ban sunglasses outlet, oakley vault, oakley vault, moncler outlet, oakley, ray ban, cheap sunglasses, oakley outlet, oakley outlet, rayban, cheap oakley, oakley sunglasses cheap, oakley sunglasses outlet, polo ralph lauren, oakley sunglasses outlet, cheap oakley sunglasses, moncler, canada goose, tn pas cher, canada goose, gucci, discount oakley sunglasses, ray ban outlet, ray-ban, cheap oakley sunglasses, oakley vault, oakley outlet, raybans, ray ban, louboutin, rayban, canada goose outlet, moncler, canada goose outlet, ray ban uk, cheap sunglasses, ray bans, ugg boots, ralph lauren, oakley sunglasses cheap, cheap oakley sunglasses, ray bans, cheap sunglasses, moncler, ray ban sunglasses, oakley sunglasses outlet, canada goose, oakley sunglasses cheap, canada goose
ReplyDeletenike air max, p90x3, timberland, air max, mont blanc, yoga pants, soccer jerseys, louis vuitton, birkin bag, asics gel, north face outlet, ugg boots, ralph lauren, jimmy choo, montre pas cher, wedding dresses, vans, reebok outlet, celine handbags, valentino shoes, lululemon, lancel, ugg, herve leger, marc jacobs, converse shoes, hermes, chi flat iron, ghd, oakley pas cher, juicy couture outlet, bottega veneta, karen millen, insanity, nike free, mcm handbags, abercrombie and fitch, ferragamo shoes, louis vuitton, beats by dre, hogan, hollister, mulberry, new balance shoes, rolex watches, ugg boots, supra shoes, soccer shoes, ray ban pas cher, nfl jerseys
ReplyDeletenike free, nike shoes, jordan shoes, louboutin, coach outlet store, ralph lauren, prada outlet, coach outlet, burberry, nike air max, coach factory outlet, tory burch outlet, michael kors, kate spade outlet, chanel handbags, toms shoes, polo ralph lauren outlet, michael kors outlet, oakley sunglasses, louboutin, prada handbags, ray ban, air max, louis vuitton, michael kors outlet, longchamp, true religion jeans, oakley sunglasses, longchamp outlet, true religion outlet, michael kors, tiffany and co, burberry outlet online, louboutin, nike air max, louis vuitton handbags, michael kors outlet, burberry outlet online, gucci outlet, michael kors, nike free, polo ralph lauren, air jordan, coach factory, true religion, louis vuitton outlet online, coach purses, ray ban sunglasses,
ReplyDeleteSources said that the 26th round of cheap nike jordan shoes negotiations will Cheap LV Handbags be held the ugg boots second Bags Louis Vuitton round Discount LV Handbags of talks, but the Belarusian Foreign Ministry wholesale jordan shoes spokesman said, you may want to 26 am ugg australia that christian louboutin shoes day to determine whether to proceed with negotiations.September 5, Ukraine christian louboutin remise 50% Tripartite Liaison Group with representatives of the Ukrainian armed eastern folk, including the signing of the Protocol, including a ceasefire agreement in Christian Louboutin Daffodile Minsk. September 19, the Contact Group christian louboutin signed a memorandum with the eastern Ukrainian folk armed representatives, provides for the ugg pas cher establishment of discount christian louboutin 30 km wide buffer. Due to the conflict lack of mutual trust, Air Jordan 11 Gamma Blue the ceasefire discount nike jordans agreement and memorandum were Discount Louis Vuitton not effectively implemented.According to the Office of the High Cheap Louis Vuitton Handbags Commissioner ugg soldes for Human Rights Christian Louboutin Bois Dore on December 15 released a report, since mid-April this year, the armed uggs outlet conflict in eastern Ukraine, killing at least cheap christian louboutin 4707 people were cheap jordans killed uggs on sale and 10,000 ugg wounded.
ReplyDeleteguowenhao20150324
ReplyDeletelongchamp outlet
coach outlet online
iphone 6 cases
valentino sale
toms outlet
snapback hats
kate spade outlet
prada outlet
coach factory outlet
valentino shoes
michael kors handbags
michael kors handbags
oakley outlet
oakley sunglasses
michael kors handbags
nike air max uk
coach outlet
chanel bags
lacoste polo shirts
mont blanc pens for sale
lululemon outlet
gucci handbags
discount oakley sunglasses
kate spade outlet
hollister clothing
michael kors outlet online
toms shoes outlet online
michael kors outlet store
louis vuitton outlet stores
new balance
mlb jerseys wholesale
nfl jerseys
mac makeup
michael kors canada
fitflop sandals
oakley sunglasses
hollister clothing
herve leger dresses
michael kors outlet
oakley vault
shijun 5.12
ReplyDeletechristian louboutin shoes
michael kors outlet
coach outlet
gucci outlet online
fake oakleys
coach factory outlet
louis vuitton outlet
louis vuitton handbags
timberland uk
pandora charms
coach outlet online
toms promo code
kate spade diaper bag
chanel purses
prada uk
coach factory outlet
ray ban sunglasses
jordan shoes
louis vuitton handbags
michael kors
coach factory online
air jordan 13
louis vuitton handbags
michael kors bags
burberry outlet
air max 95
jordan retro 3
louis vuitton outlet
hollister clothing store
gucci outlet online
kate spade
louis vuitton handbags
christian louboutin outlet
coach outlet
louis vuitton
jordan shoes
jordan 11s
coach outlet online
michael kors
coach factory outlet
20156.4dongdong
ReplyDeletelebron james basketball shoes
jordan 11
michael kors handbags
michael kors handbags
michael kors
louis vuitton
oakley sunglasses
louis vuitton purses
ray ban sungalss
christian louboutin outlet
abercrombie kids
jordan 11 low
jordan shoes
michael kors outlet online
coach factory outlet
abercrombie and fitch new york
kate spade
coach factory outlet
chanel bags
adidas outlet store
gucci
cheap lululemon
abercrombie
tod's shoes
jordan 6 cigar
jordan 11 gamma blue
chanel handbags
michael kors outlet online
cheap jordans
adidas outlet
jrodan retro
jordan 11s
true religion
louis vuitton
christian louboutin
air max 90
ReplyDeletenike roshe
air max 2015
the north face outlet
oakland raiders jerseys
beats headphones
the north face uk
minnesota vikings jerseys
surpa sneakers
the north face jackets
manchester united jersey
nike huarache
pittsburgh steelers jersey
mulberry uk
tory burch outlet online
ray ban sunglasses
coach outlet
los angeles lakers jerseys
dallas cowboys jersey
new york giants jerseys
tommy hilfiger outlet
cleveland cavaliers jersey
custom mlb jerseys
the north face clearance
tory burch outlet
ralph lauren uk
nike free uk
coach outlet canada
barcelona jersey
north face jackets
kate spade outlet
green bay packers jerseys
north face outlet
new york jets jerseys
san francisco 49ers jerseys
baltimore ravens jerseys
coach outlet
boston celtics jersey
cheap wedding dresses
mbt shoes
zhuweiming0623
louis vuitton
ReplyDeletecoach outlet online
louis vuitton outlet
michael kors uk
chi hair strighteners
michael kors handbags
hollister outlet
jordan retro 8
ralph lauren bedding
coach factory online
oakley sunglasses
louis vuitton bags
michael kors
abercrombie & fitch
gucci bags
kate spade diaper bag
christian louboutin shoes
michael kors outlet online
polo ralph lauren outlet
louis vuitton outlet
lebron 11
retro jordan
louis vuitton handbags
louis vuitton uk outlet
toms canada
coach outlet
www.louisvuitton.com
louis vuitton
ray ban sunglasses
coach factory outlet online
coach outlet online
fitflop outlet
gucci
michael kors
polo outlet
20150702xiong
20151012 junda
ReplyDeleteair max 95,nike golf,nike janoski,air max 1,nike canada,nike plus,nike shox,nike factory store
michael kors outlet
coach outlet online
ugg boots australia
coach factory outlet
Oakley Vault Outlet Store Online
Tom Shoes Outlet With Free Shipping
Michael Kors Outlet Real Handbags Online
nfl jerseys
Michael Kors Outlet Online No Tax
celine
Louis Vuitton Bags Outlet Store
Michael Kors Handbags Outlet Deals
michael kors outlet sale
michael kors outlet
michael kors handbag
Michael Kors Outlet Deals Online
cheap uggs
ugg boots clearance
michael kors outlet
coach outlet
Michael Kors Outlet Online Mall
cheap ugg boots
michael kors uk
Abercrombie T-Shirts
Buy Kobe Shoes Online Discount
Lebron James Basketball Shoes Sale
Louis Vuitton Clearance Sale
michael kors outlet
canada goose jackets
tods outlet
ReplyDeletepuma outlet
black friday 2015
valentino outlet
mulberry uk
lacoste shirts
michael kors handbags
mizuno running shoes
hollister uk
coach outlet store
canada goose jackets
canada goose outlet
christian louboutin shoes
discount ugg boots
tory burch outlet
nike foamposite
ugg boots
hermes outlet
cheap nfl jersey
1104minko
ray-ban sunglasses
ReplyDeletepolo ralph lauren
cheap replica watches
tory burch outlet online
cheap mlb jerseys
michael kors outlet store
lebron 12
michael kors outlet,michael kors outlet online,michael kors,kors outlet,michael kors handbags,michael kors outlet online sale,michael kors handbags clearance,michael kors purses,michaelkors.com,michael kors bags,michael kors shoes,michaelkors,cheap michael kors
snow boots outlet
hollister uk
prada outlet store
michael kors handbags,michael kors outlet,michael kors outlet online,michael kors,kors outlet,michael kors outlet online sale,michael kors handbags clearance,michael kors purses,michaelkors.com,michael kors bags,michael kors shoes,michaelkors,cheap michael kors
nba jerseys wholesale
tory burch sandals
true religion uk
<a href="http://www.handbagsreplica.us.com><strong>replica handbags</strong></a>
thomas sabo uk
ReplyDeleteherve leger outlet
coach outlet online
louis vuitton handbags
rolex watches
ugg boots
iphone case
cheap snapbacks
uggs outlet
michael kors outlet online
cartier outlet
michael kors outlet clearance
soccer jerseys
oakley sunglasses
celine outlet
canada goose outlet
coach outlet
futbol baratas
nike air force 1
longchamp outlet
coach outlet
michael kors outlet
ugg outlet
canada goose jackets
hermes birkin
polo ralph lauren
michael kors outlet store
air jordan 4
cheap uggs
tory burch outlet
tiffany and co jewelry
louis vuitton outlet
coach outlet
michael kors bags
ugg boots
chanyuan0913
christian louboutin sale
ReplyDeletenhl jerseys wholesale
ice jerseys
toms shoes
ralph lauren
cheap uggs
ed hardy jeans
ray ban sunglasses outlet
cheap ray ban sunglasses
montblanc pen
2017.1.10chenlixiang
true religion outlet
ReplyDeletemichael kors outlet online
under armour shoes
mcm belt
ray ban sunglasses sale
michael kors bags
cheap oakley sunglasses
ecco boots
michael kors purses
christian louboutin shoes
2017.3.7chenlixiang