How does Jesus demonstrate love?

Jesus provides us with a very strange demonstration of love in John chapter 11. In verse 5, we’re told, “Jesus loved Martha and her sister [Mary] and Lazarus. So, when He heard that Lazarus was ill, He stayed two days longer in the place where He was.” Now, if Jesus truly loved this family, how could He possibly delay when He heard Lazarus was sick? Wouldn’t love compel Him travel quickly to be with this family in their time of need? Wouldn’t love cause Him to heal Lazarus if He could? And yet it’s clear, Jesus delays, long enough for Lazarus to die before He arrives. Now, how could that ever be described as love?

Well, Jesus told us the answer in verse 4, “This illness will not lead to death. Instead, it’s for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” So Jesus loved this family; not by giving them what they wanted, but by giving them what they needed. The greatest love that He could have ever share is for them to see His glory, glory as of the only begotten, from the Father, full of grace and truth; which He did when He raised Lazarus from the dead. The question is are you seeing the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ?

Something to think about from the Proclamation point of view.