The Disciple whom Jesus loved

You can read something a number of times, but for some reason, not quite understand fully what you've read. I remember when someone pointed out to me that John, in his gospel, is referring to himself when he describes "the disciple whom Jesus loves" (John 21 v 7). To refer to yourself as "the disciple whom Jesus loved" you have to be a bit arrogant, or have something which is pretty special: something the other disciples didn't seem to catch in the way John did - that's a revelation of God's love.

Peter boasted of his own love for Jesus, but John's approach is different. He is secure in God's love for him. When we are rooted and boasting in our own love and our own efforts, we're in a dangerous place as we're all on the precipice of failure. Not because we don't have good intentions, but because we're human, and like it or not, we mess up. It's also an easy way to fall into sin - pride being the first sin branch we hit on our spiral downwards.
But when we're rooted in God's love and His strength, then sin is redundant. It's difficult to sin when you're walking in God's love. 

How should you describe yourself when referring to yourself in the third person? It's a conundrum. But not to John. He simply saw himself through the eyes of Jesus - Jesus than Man Who loved everyone. The revelation that John had is astoundingly beautiful. Any one of those disciples could have referred to themselves in the same way and I'm so glad that we have John's example because it is far from arrogant. It is how we need to see ourselves. I am the mother, the wife, the friend, the disciple whom Jesus loves. When we're secure in His love for us, then we'll lavish that love on others like a well springing and overflowing. We will also never have cause to doubt God's goodness for us, as we will be firmly planted in His heart, and Him in ours. Good things happen to those who know that they know that they know that God loves them. Amen