Walang pag-ibig na hihigit pa kaysa pag-ibig ng isang taong nag-aalay ng kanyang buhay para sa kanyang mga kaibigan.

Juan 15:13

Willing ka bang itaya ang buhay mo para sa kaligtasan ng iyong kaibigan o maski sino man na nasa panganib ang buhay? Jesus laying down His life to save us from the punishment of our sin was His greatest act of love for us. Iyan din ang gusto Niyang gawin natin sa ating kapwa. Sinabi Niya sa Juan 13:34, “Mag-ibigan kayo! Kung paano Ko kayo inibig, gayundin naman, mag-ibigan kayo.”

Naipamuhay ito ni Elmer na isinilang sa isang mahirap na pamilya. At the height of typhoon Ondoy, or tropical storm Ketsana, Elmer was among the selfless, kind-hearted souls who risked their lives to save people from drowning in the raging flood. Matapos mailigtas ang sariling pamilya, nagpatuloy si Elmer sa paglusong sa baha upang iligtas ang iba pa. Sa kasamaang-palad, nabagok ang ulo niya sa bumagsak na pader ng isang bahay. Paghupa ng bagyo ay natagpuan ang katawan ni Elmer. Like Jesus who gave up His life so that we could live, Elmer gave his life saving others from drowning so that they could start a new life after losing most of their possessions. 

In John 15:13, Jesus tells us the kind of love He has for us. He wants us to do the same for others. We don’t necessarily have to suffer literal death to save others, but we must be willing to die to ourselves. We must give up our own interests for the sake of someone else’s.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10: 25–37 demonstrates this love and describes the scope of who our friends are. Jesus did not die for His disciples. He did not die for those who deserved it, but He died for everyone. He died for you and me, whom He considers as His friends.