Honoring and loving one another

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.” John 15:12-14

There is no greater love than to give a life in order to save life. In the case of war, the canvas of history is painted with good people who— out of love for country and countrymen— gave their lives to protect the lives of those they loved. The ultimate sacrifice of self is the giving of one’s life on behalf of something of great value.

This pattern of Christ’s love is proof of our love for people. Soldiers of faith, who sacrifice their lives for people they have never met, do so because of Christ’s higher call of love. If we love liberty, if we love freedom, if we love democracy, if we love our inalienable rights, if we love each other, if we love God—we honor those who went to war to extend these values at home and abroad. Love lays down its life for what’s right.

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers” (1 John 3:16).