He Knows

John 2:24-25 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because He knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for He Himself knew what was in man.

It strikes me as amazing that there could be someone who truly knows what's in my heart and actually loves me regardless.  I am sure that if my friends knew what was going on in my mind, they would be shocked and disappointed.  They would find out that I am a person who serves begrudgingly, sometimes only acts like I'm listening, and looks to them just for what they can give me.  Although I love them, that love often seems to lose out to my sinfulness and love of self.  This is horrible to think about, but it's true.

Yet here I find a hope far beyond anything I deserve to have.  Jesus actually knows all the things my friends don't--And He loves me anyways!  Just as He did with His disciples, Jesus chose each one of us with a full knowledge of how we would fail Him and others.

So it's obvious that when Jesus chooses followers, He isn't choosing them based on their own merit.  That is really encouraging to me.  I'm not disappointed, as in, "What?  I really don't have anything to offer God?!"  I'm totally relieved that the whole "following Jesus" thing is initiated by Him, totally independent of what I can do.  By that line of thinking, I can say with confidence that I will grow as a follower of Christ and I will get better at loving other people, not because I am self-motivated but because Jesus never fails to complete anything He starts.

Thank you, Jesus, for knowing me and loving me anyways.