Have you ever been given favor because of someone else?

Maybe they “put in a good word” for you, or picked up your mess so others wouldn’t notice. Perhaps they taught you something that when utilized, brought success.

I think if we take a moment and think, we can all come up with at least one person who fits the bill. If you are like me, you can come up with a handful.

The people we think of often don’t get any form of recognition. The reality is they don’t do what they do for recognition. They do it out of love. They have a desire to see others grow and be successful.

If this heart and mindset were ever epitomized, it was done so by Jesus.

His desire to bring restoration to His creation drove Him to the cross. It’s because of His sacrifice, that through faith in Him we receive the benefits of His actions. We can now stand before God as holy and redeemed.

Paul explains this so beautifully in his letter to the church in Ephesus. In the first half of chapter 2, he explains our position before God and the significance of Jesus’ actions. Read what he wrote:

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ-by grace you have been saved- and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:4-7

The reality is God doesn’t need us. Jesus didn’t have to bring us back into fellowship at all.

But He did.

He did because He loves you, and me. He was willing to take our place, so we received the favor. In my opinion, that’s the epitome of love. And that’s why I serve Him.

How about you?