Being on the wrong end of some injustice … well, there’s nothing worse is there? That’s why we so stridently stand up for our rights. And yet it seems that our world is full of people butting heads, insisting on their rights. It’s getting pretty ugly, isn’t it?

A young woman shared with me the other day that she works in one of our local courts and her role is to advise people about their legal rights.

Well, as you can imagine, she gets some pretty ugly reactions some days. She said to me, “It’s tough sometimes, but I try not to take it personally.”

We live in a world where we insist on our rights, whether it’s in the queue at the supermarket, or in a court room. And all too often, we’ll tread on just about anyone in order to prevail.

Two thousand years ago, Jesus went through five trials over seventeen hours. Witnesses perjured themselves, the rules of evidence were flouted, and yet when they asked Him to defend Himself, to stand up for His rights … He didn’t. He stood in silence.

They beat Him. They spat on Him. They crucified Him.

Seems He was prepared to lay down His rights for what? For whom?

John 15:13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. (NRSV)

He did that for you and me. He did that because He knew that the price of God’s justice for your rebellion and mine, for your sin and mine, had to be paid by someone. He knew that for you and me, He was that Someone.

There’s something in this world that’s much, much … much greater, much, much … much more important than our rights.

No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.