Encouragement

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"One of Jesus' disciples, the one Jesus loved, was sitting next to Jesus at the table."
John 13:23 NLT

Reading the gospel of John, I began to consider the way John always referred to himself--not as "I" or "John," but as "the one Jesus loved" or "the disciple whom Jesus loved."

Now I don't think for a minute that John thought he was the only person Jesus loved, or the person Jesus loved most, or even the disciple Jesus loved best. After all, John was the one who wrote, "For God so loved the world."

No, I believe John had been able to move beyond the understanding that God loved the world and knew deep in his heart that Jesus loved HIM. Jesus loved HIM as an individual. Jesus died for HIM personally. John grasped this truth so completely that it became his self-identity, his self-image. John saw himself simply, and yet profoundly, as "the one Jesus loved."

In recent years "self-image" has been written about, talked about, and bandied about in so many ways. The subject has been covered by psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors, teachers, pastors, and people having "intellectual" discussions at parties. Myriads of books have been written on the subject. A book search at Amazon.com for "self-image" produced 87,958 results! Titles included "Measuring Up: How Advertising Affects Self-Image," "Self-Image Psycho Dynamics," "Winners and Losers: The Art of Self-Image Modification," and "Positive Self-Image and Confidence Subliminal Program."

People are searching everywhere to build, modify, restore, increase, or improve their self-image. And yet all this can be done by realizing the very truth of who we are lies in the fact that Jesus loves us. He loved us enough to give his life for us. This is the most important fact we can know about ourselves. It's well expressed in the children's song that has been so popular through the generations: "Jesus loves me, this I know." What better self-image than to see ourselves as "the one whom Jesus loves."

Jesus died for the world. But he also died for Karen Burkett. He also died for you. If you were the only person in the world, he would still have suffered and died for you. Why? You are the one he loves.

Who am I? I am the one Jesus loves.

Who are you? You are the one Jesus loves.

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