John 13:23 English Standard Version (ESV) One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus’ side,^[a]

Footnote ^[a] Greek in the bosom of Jesus

My sister-in law adopted a kitten, the runt of the liter. She kept the kitten in her room and isolated from the rest of us. It is after all her cat. She loves in and it loves her more than anyone.

From time to time she has to attend to family business and leaves us to take care of the cat. The cat comes to me and lays her head on my thigh and rests. She doesn’t go to my wife.

Does that mean I love the cat more than my wife? It is the cat’s choice to do so, not mine.

This is probably John expressing his feelings, that the Lord loves him. He is wont to admit it is John himself that reclines on Jesus. I get it, but what it does not say is that Jesus preferred John over any other disciple.

Whenever we think that someone we love pays attention to someone else, it tends to make us feel at least a little insecure. It shouldn’t but if we admit we are human, it does feed our insecurities.

Acts 10:34 English Standard Version (ESV) So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality,

We can appreciate that it is Peter that is the only disciple to express this issue. Jesus called out Peter specifically to be “the little rock” upon which He would build His church. Does that mean Jesus preferred Peter? Not according to Peter.

When we look to scripture we find Peter, James and John are often named at some iconic moments, like the Mount of Transfiguration. Does that mean Jesus preferred them over the other disciples? According to Peter, no.

Peter was the only disciple to make that comment.

How does it make us feel when we see someone else has a closer relationship with Jesus than we do?

Insecure?

1 John 2:15-16 English Standard Version

Do Not Love the World

¹⁵ Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.

Love of the world here in the Greek is agapaō which is not the same as agapē which is the love of the Father. There are many different words for love in the Greek and it is not always easy to distinguish which one is meant where. How we understand what is said is important in how we respond to the scriptures written to us and for us.

Love of the world for me, and I ask anyone to seek their own understanding, means to prefer. Here is why I understand it this way, my perspective, not yours, not do I prefer that you should choose my understanding. Seek your own.

Coffee is bitter to me and I prefer to drink it with a creamer that will sweeten it. When I go to the store now I buy Italian sweet cream for myself and hazelnut for my wife and my sister-in-law. I prefer one over another. My choice, no big deal, so what? It harms no one.

I prefer my wife over any other woman on the face of the earth. It does no harm to the other women around me. If I should prefer another woman over my wife it would wound her and cause great harm to our relationship.

Paul includes desire of the flesh and eyes to accentuate the two different uses of the word love in the same sentence. They are different Greek words translated as love. God’s love is sometimes said to be a love feast which implies not only abundance but also variety. His banquet table offers up every tasty delight which will satisfy everyone no matter what they prefer.