The Disciple Jesus Loved

"One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him."
(John 13:23)

"When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, 'Dear woman, here is your son.'" (John 19:26)
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Today I had a classic Oprah style "Aha! Moment." In the gospel of John, John often referred to himself as "the one Jesus loved." Click here for more examples. "The one Jesus loved." Can you imagine saying that? Whenever I've read that, I've always shook my head a little, snickered, & imagined John as a pompous man, a man the others may have wanted to slap silly or sneak off without or shove him back to the end of the line. Today was different. I saw it in a new light.
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Maybe John was saying that for himself, not for others to hear. Maybe he, himself, needed reminding. Maybe he battled insecurity and wondered how Jesus could possibly love him. Maybe he would start to follow Jesus and then lag behind a bit, feeling not quite good enough, not quite holy enough, and not quite clean enough to get too close. Now, yes, this I could imagine.
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Feeling silly, in the privacy of my own room, I tried it out. I said my name, followed by "the disciple Jesus loved." Empowering. Uplifting. Motivational. Humbling. It's true, my friend. You are the one Jesus loves. You just might be the one who needs the most persuading, too. It is my prayer today that you grab hold of this thought, say it aloud a few times, & let it impact your life.