Love One Another – Part 2

As Jesus followers, we talk a lot about love without a lot of reflection. Most of the time we base our love upon what we like or how we feel. Sometimes we base our love upon what is going to serve us best and cost us the least. Regardless of how you view love, I think you will agree that love is deep and complex. It’s an emotion that touches the heart, a feeling that brings closeness and comfort, and a passion that lights something powerful inside us. It can be both gentle and intense, making us feel open and vulnerable. It is also what lifts us into the most joyful and meaningful moments in life.

As followers of Jesus, love is defined and shaped by God’s love for us in everyday situations and circumstances. What the world needs now is love, but not just any kind of generic love. I want to offer a perspective that might help us respond as followers of Jesus. Rather than starting with our deeply felt opinions or our political positions, let’s start with the love of God. I am convinced that the love of God will help us see more clearly how to respond as people of faith, seeking to love as Jesus loves.

Agape Love

God’s love, agape, is the most selfless kind of love. It is completely unconditional and given without expecting anything in return. It is not based upon feeling, emotion, or passion. It is a choice to love no matter what the situation or circumstance. It is a choice regardless of difficulty or convenience.

With that said, it is not based upon political opinions or positions. God’s love is not bound by our conditions or criteria. It is not bound by whether we have determined someone worthy of our care. God’s love goes beyond all boundaries we have set to protect ourselves or our assets.

God’s love puts the well-being of others first, working for the good of others. It is rooted in the actions of grace, kindness, and commitment. When you seek to follow Jesus, you seek to align yourself with God. When you align yourself with God, you learn to love what God loves. “God so loved the world…” and all the people in the world. Whatever action needs to be taken to heal our world, our communities, our relationships is in harmony with God’s love. 

Love One Another

God’s love shows up in the way we love one another. From a biblical perspective, loving others is more than a nice idea. Loving others is who we are as followers of Jesus. Loving neighbor is rooted in the Old Testament teaching of Leviticus, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18), and from the New Testament witness to Jesus being God’s love, “Love one another as I have loved you (John 13:34). It is the intentional act of caring for others with empathy, respect, and compassion, recognizing their dignity and worth. Love of neighbor challenges us to look beyond ourselves, to serve, support, and uplift those around us, whether friend, stranger, or adversary. It challenges us to build communities of justice and peace through selfless concern and shared humanity.

God’s love shows up as a generous spirit which humanizes rather than dehumanizes people. As we have said, it expresses itself in seeking the good of all people.

Loving Your Neighbor

You might think of it this way. Mariam lived alone in a small apartment on the edge of the city. Every afternoon she would catch a city bus to the park and take a walk. Winter had set in, and the air was cold. So, one day, she decided to pack a hot meal in a reusable container. She tucked it into her tote bag and took the city bus to the park. She carried the meal with her while she walked.

The bus, the meal, and the walk became her daily routine. When people asked her why she made the trip every day, she would simply smile and say, “You never know who might be hungry.”

One cold afternoon, as she walked past the library, she noticed a man curled up on a bench shivering in a thin hoodie. He looked exhausted, cold, and invisible to everyone passing by. Without hesitating, Miriam took off her heavy coat and gently placed it over him. She set the hot meal beside him and whispered, “Eat while it’s warm.”

The next day, when she passed by, the man was gone. But her coat had been folded neatly on the bench, with a handwritten note tucked inside: “I’ve never felt love like that before. Thank you.”

Miriam never saw him again. But it didn’t matter. She hadn’t helped him for recognition or reward. She helped because she saw someone hurting and chose to care. That was enough because Mariam was just being who she was as a loving human being.

So, what do you think? Who is waiting to experience God’s love through you?

Give God Thanks

At the end of day, reflect upon your day. Give God thanks for the people you encountered. In whom did you see Jesus? In what situations did you decide to respond in love? What did you learn about yourself? What will you do differently tomorrow? Give God thanks for the experiences that have helped you become who God created you to be.

O God, help me love the people you send my way every day. Fill me with a love so deep that I am not only moved but I make a conscious decision to work for the good of others. By your grace, help me respond to your love with love for the people around me. I place myself at your disposal, in the name of Jesus. Amen