Ephesians 5:2 commands, “walk in love, even as Christ also loved us and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance.”
By denying His own comforts and perfectly submitting to the Father’s will, Jesus exemplified love for the Father (cf. 1 John 5:3). Like Our Savior, we must deny ourselves in order to obey the Father’s commands.
Obeying God includes showing love to others by denying our comforts and pleasures as needed to do what is beneficial for them.
Philippians 2:4 commands “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” The very next verse says, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (verse 5).
While on earth, Jesus time and again made decisions based on the Father’s will and the needs of others, instead of only considering what was comfortable for Himself. This shows the depth of His command in John 13:34: A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another. May we heed this command, and love like our Savior.
– Michael Hickox