The One Whom Jesus Loved

I have always noticed how John referred to himself as "the one whom Jesus loved." I have heard many different takes on what he meant by that. Some people have said that he was a little arrogant or that Jesus loved John more than any other disciple.

Today, I really understand what John meant though. John was so humbled by Jesus' love for him, that he could not think of himself in any other way besides as being one whom Jesus loved. Nothing else defined him. Above everything else in his life, above the miracles, above teaching, above his personality, above the church, above his suffering, above all, he understood that he was because Jesus loved him. Everything in his life became secondary to the fact that Jesus loved him. That's how he thought of himself because it became the all consuming, overarching idea that burned in him, Jesus loved him.

How powerful is that? I want love to ravage me how it ravaged John. I am the one whom Jesus loves.