Author Brennan Manning shares this poignant story, “In 1980, the day before Christmas, Richard Ballenger's mother was busy wrapping packages and asked her young son to shine her shoes.
Soon, with the proud smile that only a seven-year-old can muster, he presented the shoes for inspection. His mother was so pleased that she gave him a quarter.
On Christmas morning as she put on the shoes to go to church, she noticed a lump in one shoe. She took it off and found a quarter wrapped in paper. Written on the paper in a child's scrawl were the words, "I done it for love.””
While reading this beautiful story, I heard the gentle whisper of Jesus saying, “I done it for love.” Indeed, He did.
Why else would He have emptied Himself of His rightful position of deity, sitting at the right hand of the Father, come into our midst in the most humble of circumstances, be mocked, ridiculed, and accused, then suffer a horrific death alongside convicted criminals; and in the midst of it all, cry out, “Father, forgive them, they don’t know what they’re doing?”
The answer is, “I done it for love.” As you engage in Christmas activities with friends and family, pause, and speak this simple phrase as a gentle reminder on this day of celebration, “I done it for love.” Merry Christmas, y'all! - Pastor Jimmy and Annette
