How do we love like Jesus?

One of the last commandments Jesus gave us was to love one another as he loved us.

Never was it a question or a plea; it was a directive for us to follow.

However, as with many things in the Bible, we have taken this decree as optional. Justifying to ourselves the many reasons why we can’t or shouldn’t love those around us.

But since it is a command, when we fail to submit to it, are we not walking in disobedience? And in doing so, also failing to shine God’s light in a dark world?

If you struggle to love God‘s special creatures, know you are not alone. And we are here to walk alongside you to fulfill God’s command by finding out how to love like Jesus from the man himself.

Let’s get started.

What does the Bible say about love?

The Bible points to three types of love:

• Romantic love (eros): mentioned in the Septuagint Proverbs 7:18 and 30:16
• Brotherly love (philadelphia): mentioned in Romans 12:10
• God‘s love (agape): mentioned first in John 3:16

Each having a specific function to unite the body of Christ in its different forms- with the ultimate example of love being God’s agape. According to 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, it is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek his own, it is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.”

As followers of Christ, we should strive to love as He did, but how?

3 Ways To Love Like Jesus

1. Love Unconditionally. Jesus was a rebel. He worked when he wasn’t supposed to, H said things others thought He shouldn’t say, He called it like it was, and hung out with whoever He wanted- The girl with a bad reputation, the boys who got kicked out of school for not being smart enough and the most hated guy in town Matthew, the tax collector. Despite all their flaws, the Son of God loved every one of his followers, pouring into them day and night, requiring only that they listen with an open heart. So, too, must we be like him and love unconditionally.
2. Love In Truth. While Christ did love fully, He was no stranger to confronting sin. He went toe-to-toe with the Pharisees for their pride, and He told the man at Bethesda and the woman caught in adultery to sin no more. His love did not excuse their sin, nor did He condemn them. He showed infinite grace and kindness in His wisdom, choosing to light a path toward repentance rather than shame with fire and brimstone. As Christians, we are called to love all back into a relationship with God by lovingly, exhorting, teaching, and leading them away from sin.
3. Love Sacrificially. Love is a choice. God chose to divest himself of His power to become a man (Philippians 2:6-7). Then, as a man, He chose to hang on a cross so that you and I could be called back to Him one day; He did not do so because we are righteous but because He is. So, too, must we choose to love our fellow man despite our differences, prayerfully and giving of ourselves, time, and resources. And not once, and not twice, but continuously as a form of worship and obedience to the One that loved us first.

How do you love when it’s too hard?

Jesus’ command to love can be hard to pull off. People are too peoply, and we often wonder if God really meant for us to love them too. Brother and sister, He did. So what do you do when you are called to love the unlovable and you don’t wanna?

1. Pray for them. This seems counterintuitive, but I can tell you from personal experience that it changes your perspective. Whenever a person crosses your mind that you’re not exactly fond of, pray for them. Pray that they will have a nice day, that their health will be restored, that they will find healing for their broken parts, and most importantly, that they will find a way back to God again. You never know what somebody is going through. Seeing them as someone who needs intercession can change how you see and interact with them.
2. Be nice. My daughter had a bully at school, a boy who was older and bigger than her. After learning about the boy’s home life, I told my daughter to be nice, no matter what. When she saw him, she would say hello. She would wave, even though he would roll his eyes at her, and one day, wouldn’t you know it, he asked to play with her and her friends. Our prayers and her kindness wore him down, and it was a beautiful sight to behold. So be kind, even though they don’t deserve it. Because God showed us love when we didn’t deserve it either.
3. Pray for yourself. Sometimes in our walk, we build walls in our hearts to keep us protected. We do so because of past trauma or out of fear of rejection or exposure. All these barriers can color the way that we see others. So pray that the Lord would reveal to you any brokenness or sin that would keep you from loving as He did, and ask him to make your heart look more like His with each passing day. Only when you are made whole can you extend love, compassion, and grace to others.

Love Like A Rebel

Jesus is the ultimate expression of what love is. He loved unconditionally and with abandon to His last breath. But before His departure, He was very clear: “By this, all will know that you are my disciples if you love one another ” (John 13:35).

Why, then, do we find it so difficult?

Because we are just as broken and just as flawed as the people we deem unlovable.

God’s agape requires that we love without requirements, without fear of insult or injury, and without expecting anything in return—a feat for most of us living within the confines of religion.

Yet we are commanded to do as Christ did and love rebelliously in the face of convention, unapologetically pointing people away from sin and into a loving relationship with the Father.

So pray for those you struggle to love, bless them when they don’t deserve it, and ask the Lord to create in you a clean heart.

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