Loving like Jesus

“I admire people who love.”  The words lay in the pages of my journal, but they cry out from the depths of my heart. 

“Why?” you ask.  “Love is easy.  Give a hug, kiss, and box of chocolates!”

But Godly love is so much more than that.  In fact, it should encompass every avenue of our lives, leading and directing our footsteps.  Love is to God as oxygen is to humans—inseparable!

“We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. GOD IS LOVE, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them” (1 John 4:16, emphasis mine).

The call to follow Jesus comes with the call to LOVE like Him.  But we cannot do it by ourselves!  Loving like Jesus goes against our natural inclinations.

That’s why it isn’t easy.  But that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth it!

“No one has ever seen God. But if we LOVE each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us” (1 John 4:12).  Man!  I think John should have put an exclamation mark after that statement.  That’s exciting!  God’s power at work within us—His Spirit—causes LOVE to flow out of us.

Luke 10:25-29 tells of The Most Important Commandment. 

“The man answered, “’You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’”” (Luke 10:27).

Love God. Love People—wait!  I think there is another one.  That well known statement should include another sentence:

Love God.
Love Yourself.
Love People.

Maybe now you see why I admire people who love like Jesus.  It’s definitely inconvenient.  I mean, when is the last time you said, “I love you” to yourself after making a mistake?  Have you recently given a hug to an enemy?  And let’s be honest, God isn’t always the easiest to get along with either.

Love is often tied-up in our most inconvenient situations in which we strive to give God glory.

After all, it surely wasn’t easy nor convenient for Jesus to die on a cross for all kinds of sinners like you and me!

“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8).

Truthfully, I could spend all day talking about love.  It really is that important!  Just remember that you cannot love like Jesus alone.  The only requirement on your part is to allow Him to have complete control of your daily life.  Let Jesus consume your heart! 

Growing in Jesus = Growing in Love!