THE DAMON AND PYTHIAS STORY
According to an ancient Greek legend, Damon and Pythias traveled to live in Sicily where Pythias was convicted of plotting to overthrow the despotic King Dionysius of Syracuse, and was sentenced to death. Before dying, Pythias wanted to return to Greece to see his family. Damon offered to take his place and agreed to be executed if Pythias did not return. In the end, the bully king Dionysius let the two friends go because he had never seen such a friendship.
Several years back, a very close friend of ours came to me one morning to ask for some money for a pressing need. I had some money with me which we kept for a particular purpose coming up, so I gave it to my friend. When the purpose for which we kept the money came and neither my friend nor I had returned the money, my wife became furious and fought me for days despite the fact that I told her who I lent the money to and the urgent need he had. I didn't mind the castigation but consoled myself by the fact I showed love to a dear friend in his time of need.
In the bible story of Joseph and his brothers, we read this account: 'For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father forever.’ Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers' (Gen. 44:32-33). Joseph wept when he saw this show of love among his brothers. He let them all go.
Being our brother's keeper is perhaps the greatest show of love. Our Lord Jesus said, "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends". (John 15:13 NIV). He has sent us to go all over the world to save the soul of all men from sin and certain death. He has died the death that all men deserve, all He's asking us to do is to tell them to believe in Him who died for them. That's why He commands us to 'Go and preach the gospel to all people'. By Him through us their sins would be forgiven and they would live and not die. That's why He told us He no longer calls us servants but friends. (John 15:15)
Dr. Derek Prince gave an example to illustrate brotherly (agape) love: Two young combat soldiers were facing fierce shelling in the battle front. One of them got hit fatally and was dying. His friend saw him and laid his own body on him to protect him from being struck further, but he himself got hit fatally too. When ceasefire came at last, their commander found him dead on top of his friend while his friend underneath was rescued, treated and lived. The words of Jesus echoes here again: "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friend". Would you do likewise, friend?
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MIRIAM
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