Love is the Centre of It All

Rick Hoyt was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth because his umbilical cord became twisted around his neck. He was then unable to control his muscles, and this left him in a vegetative state. At the age of 11, and after some persistence from his parents, Rick was fitted with a computer which enabled him to communicate. It then became clear that Rick was intelligent. He attended public school and later graduated from Boston University in 1993 with a degree in special education. He then worked at Boston College, where he helped develop systems to aid people with disabilities in the areas of communication and other tasks. As remarkable as this story is, it is not the most interesting aspect of Rick’s story.

One day, in 1977, Rick asked his retired Lieutenant Colonel (Air National Guard) father if they could run a race together to benefit a lacrosse player at his school who had become paralysed. He wanted to show the world that life went on no matter your disability. Out of love for his son, Rick’s father, Dick Hoyt, began to train every day by running with a bag of cement in a wheelchair. From 1977 to 2016, the father and son duo (the Hoyts) competed in 1,130 endurance events, including 72 marathons and 6 Ironman Triathlons. They ran the Boston Marathon 32 times together as a father and son duo. In these races, Dick would push Rick in his wheelchair until he crossed over the finish line. In 2008, Team Hoyt was inducted into the Ironman Hall of Fame for their remarkable achievements!

Verse 1 of John 13 is almost like the main point for the following chapters of the book of John. On the very last night that Jesus was with His disciples, the soon-to-be crucified Messiah could have focused on a lot of things as He spoke and taught His disciples - using their power and authority, speaking of tongues, evangelisation of the world, prayer, worship, etc. Instead, He focused on the most important thing in His heart: love. Unless there was a revolution of love in their hearts, they would end up being disciples who were vision or task-driven, such that the fulfillment of the vision became their ultimate goal. They would then still be quarrelling about who was the greatest. They would use their giftings, power, and authority to show off. Thus, Jesus had to show them the correct starting point - love. This was Christ’s starting point and ending point on earth. That is why it says - “...He loved them to the end.” Jesus demonstrated His love for them because He wanted this love to be the foundation of everything they were going to do for the Kingdom after Pentecost.

The starting place of Rick Hoyt’s story is his love for those who were disabled. Rick’s starting point went hand in hand with Dick Hoyt’s starting point - which was his love for his son. The starting place of Christ’s redemptive story is love. The starting point of our story in God’s redemptive plan then, must also begin with love - a restoration in how we relate with God and with each other. At the Garden of Eden, the first effect of sin was relational brokenness with God and between man. At the Cross, Jesus not only restored our relationship with the Father, He also took our relational brokenness and gave us relational wholeness! This is our inheritance from the Divine Exchange.

As we spend the next 20 days together, may you encounter the God of love, and may there be a revolution of love in your heart as you look to the example of the Lover of your soul. May the example of Christ stir your heart to seek relational wholeness with those around you!

Reflection

• How has God loved you in your journey in life?
• Are there areas in your life that are not shaped/driven by love? How can you make love the primary motivation for all that you do?
• Are there any relationships that you need to make right with God’s help?

Application

Examine your motivation in the various relationships in your life. Make love the key motivation in these relationships so that God’s love can flow through us to those around us.