If You Love Me, Part II

Continued from yesterday

Haven’t you been to a funeral where the loved one of the person who died says to you, “Thank you so much for being here.”  Have you ever thought in response to that comment, “Where else would I be?”  Our love for the person who died or for the friend in front of us has brought us to the funeral – what else could we do, really?  Our action – our presence – is not only a tangible result of our love, but is also tangible evidence of our love.

Jesus is telling his Disciples that their love of him must not just be sentiment.  It must translate to action, because that is the nature of love.

Remember, Jesus is saying these words to the disciples.  These are his friends – and he KNOWS them.  He knows how lost they can be.  He knows how they doubt, how they will betray him.  He knows how many times they have fallen short of obedience.  And I imagine that he knows that they will continue to fall short.  Jesus knows that obedience, to his disciples, sometimes feels like an impossible climb out of a deep hole.   He knows that his friends, even if they try to be obedient, will fall short. 

Don’t ever doubt, though, that he loved them anyway.  His next words confirm his love for them.  Jesus tells his disciples that even though he is leaving – he is soon going to die – he does not leave them alone.  He promises them that there will be someone with them.  The word he uses in Greek is parakletos.  The Greek is untranslatable; in various bibles you can read it as Comforter, Helper, Advocate.  William Barclay, a Scottish theologian, says that it really means ‘someone who is called in’ to during time of trouble or need. 

Jesus promises the disciples that they will not be orphaned – he is not leaving them alone.  We are promised the same thing.  We will not be orphaned; we are not alone.  God loves us – and it is a love that is not sentiment or lovely feelings.  It is a love that translates into action.  He knows the call he has placed on our lives is difficult – may even be impossible if we were to attempt it by ourselves.  He acts.  He does not leave us alone.  He sends the Holy Spirit to be with us, and that gift – that grace – is evidence of his love for us.   The Holy Spirit is the friend who jumps into the deep hole with us.

A few months ago, my older son was on his way to a high school basketball game.  He was driving, and I guess he was overly anxious to get to the game, because he was pulled over for speeding.  This wasn’t just speeding.  This was Speeding with a capital S.  His speed was so fast that he had to appear in traffic court rather than just send in money to pay the ticket. 

I’m sure you can imagine the fear in the heart of a 17 year old when he has to appear in court.  When the time came, my son, my husband and I went together to the community center where court is held.  It was a large room, with lots of folding chairs arranged in rows facing a desk with the judge, an administrator and a police officer.  As the judge called each person forward, he had to go to the desk, sit down in front of the judge, explain what he had done wrong, and listen to the judgment rendered – in front of everyone. 

When our son’s turn came, he stood up and walked to the front of the room.  We went with him, sat with him at the judge’s desk, spoke on his behalf, and explained the consequences we had instituted.  When we got back to the car to leave, my son said, “I was so glad you went up with me; I didn’t know you were going to do that.”

Just like at the funeral, I thought, “Where else would we be?”

Continued tomorrow