“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you…by this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” -John 13:34-35
The title of this post is a song lyric I remember from way back. It’s been running through my head lately. Mostly because it feels like some of us Christians have been having a bit of a love problem lately. Of course, I’m not talking about you…just “other” Christians.
But really, what does it look like to love well?
As Christians, we can sometimes lean so hard on truth without balancing it with grace. But it’s not all truth or all grace, there’s a tension to holding both, just as Jesus did when He walked the Earth. We’re called to “speak the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15). But let’s not forget the love part.
And let’s be clear, loving other people isn’t easy. We all have people who rub us the wrong way and are just difficult to be around, much less love. Or there’s that one social media post that immediately gets under your skin…you know the one.
So what do we do? Let’s start by reacquainting ourselves with with the kinds of people the Bible calls us to love:
1. Love God first
Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’” (Matthew 22:37).
This is the foundational to knowing and understanding love. We can’t love properly without loving God first.
2. Love our neighbors
“Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39).
‘Who is our neighbor?’ You ask? Well when Jesus was asked that, He responded with the parable of the Good Samaritan. In that parable Jesus makes it clear that “neighbor” includes anyone in need—even people different from us or outside our circle as is the case in the parable.
3. Fellow Christians “Now I am giving you a new commandment. Love each other. Just as I have loved you…” (John 13:34 NLT).
Our love for each other is meant to be a visible witness to a lost and hurting world. It should set us apart, showing a completely different way of living.
4. Strangers and outsiders
“Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers” (Matt 25:35, Hebrews 13:2).
Here we go, now we are getting into it…Love isn’t just for people we know or are comfortable with.
5. The vulnerable (the poor, widows, the marginalized)
God’s word calls us to care for and show love to those in need (James 1:27, Proverbs 19:17).
6. Our enemies
Yeah, you read that right. Scriptures tell us to pray for and love our enemies. How impossible does that feel?! But it’s exactly what we’re called to do (Matthew 5:44).
7. And the World
We’re called to love the world by sharing the gospel: “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone”(Mark 16:15 NLT)
Wow, I know what you are thinking, that is quite the list. And it includes everybody, doesn’t it?
Let me ask you…how are you doing in the love department today? Are you loving your neighbor as yourself? Are you loving that hard to love co-worker, brother-in-law, annoying student who sits next to you in class? That person who sings too loudly in church with their hands waving in the air?
Here’s the thing, those people I just mentioned, they are all image bearers of God. Made in His image. Think about that. That alone gives them inherent value and dignity, even if you disagree with everything they say or do.
When I start to see people as image bearers, I gotta say, it humbles me. I view them differently. And living in L.A., trust me, I encounter plenty of people here who are very different from me. I kinda dig that, but it can also pose a challenge to love.
It’s easy to love those people closest to us, the people we surround ourselves with and generally agree with. But what about going beyond that? Maybe even loving someone of a different religion, ethnicity, or *gasp* from another political party!?!
How do we do that in everyday life? Only with God’s help, of course. I think it starts with slowing down and really seeing people, not just writing them off as “too this” or “too that.”
Sometimes that looks more real, and more uncomfortable, than we expect.
I had someone in my life I’d honestly prefer to never see again suddenly move into my neighborhood. I saw them jogging one day while I was driving. I was surprised, to say the least, and not exactly thrilled.
But I couldn’t stop thinking about them. I felt a nudge from God to invite them to my church. And I remember thinking…really, God? This person? At my church?
After a lot of prayer, I kept coming back to the same question: could this really be God asking me to do this? I mean, does that even sound like Him? Haha.
So I did it. I reached out and invited them. They appreciated it, and whether they come or not isn’t up to me. But something in my heart shifted. And honestly, that felt like nothing short of a miracle.
We can, and we should, love unexpectedly. Lavishly. It’s not easy, that’s for darn sure. Even the people I’d prefer to never see again like I mentioned above, somehow keep showing up in my life. Maybe that’s God giving me another opportunity to grow in loving them. We don’t have to be best friends, but I can certainly be kinder in how I show up.
Especially when it comes to politics, I think we have to change the narrative and stop making it “us vs. them.” Yes, we are called to be set apart—but that doesn’t mean we’re meant to keep ourselves apart from people who think differently. How can we share the gospel and love others if we’re never even around them?
Because if people are supposed to know we are Christians by how we love…what happens if we don’t?
We may actually be turning people away from Jesus. I know I’ve done that before, sharing truth without love can come across as harsh. And what a sad witness that is.
And all because we don’t agree? Since when does complete agreement determine our ability to love someone? I don’t agree 100% with my husband or my closest friends, so why would I expect to agree with the neighbor down the street with the lawn signs? I don’t have to agree. I just have to love.
And I’m not talking some foo foo fluffy, surfacey love, that affirms everybody and everything. I mean real, authentic, biblical love—the kind that shows up even when it’s uncomfortable, even when it hurts. The kind that goes out of its way. The kind that costs something.
But of course how is any of this possible? It’s not humanly possible and that’s the point. We need God for both the strength and the ability to love this way. We have to stay close to Jesus to understand His heart for the world and to love people the way He calls us to—not just with our words, but with our actions.
That said, our words matter too. What if we approached people with something more gracious…with love instead?
I’m praying for all of us as we take one step closer to loving people better today.
God bless!
Scripture references:
–Ephesians 4:15 (NLT)
“Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church”
–Matthew 25:35 (NIV)
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in”
–Hebrews 13:2 (NLT)
“Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!”
–James 1:27 (NLT)
“Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.”
–Proverbs 19:17 (NIV)
“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done.”
–Matthew 5:44 (NLT)
“But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!”
–Genesis 1:27 (NLT)
“So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”
#howtoloveothersbetter #howtolovelikejesus #theywillknowwearechristiansbyourlove❤️
Leave A Comment