Love One to Another

Loving Like Jesus

Recently, I began a series on the fruit of the Spirit entitled “Cultivating Fruit” and am continuing the series with the first fruit in the list, love. I have been taught and strongly believe every word in Scripture is there in its place for a specific reason. Therefore, when Paul listed “love” as the first fruit, he meant it needed to be first place. Showing our love to others is an undeniable fundamental in the Christian faith.

Jesus was adamant His disciples were to show love to others. He taught unbelievers would know the disciples were His followers by the love they showed (John 13:35). In fact He preceded that with this commandment in John 13:34 “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”

The incredible message Jesus came to earth to give was to love. It sort of sounds easy, doesn’t it? I mean, I love my parents and husband and kids….but the thing is, He wouldn’t have COMMANDED it if it was easy.

Bob Goff explained this command well in his book, “Everybody, Always”:

“Loving the people who are easy to love made me feel like I was really good at it. Because the people I loved were kind and wonderful, they made sure they told me what a great job I was doing loving them. What I’ve come to realize, though, is that I was avoiding the people I didn’t understand and the ones who lived differently than me. Here’s why: some of them creeped me out. Sure, I was polite to them, but sadly, I’ve spent my whole life avoiding the people Jesus spent His whole life engaging. God’s idea isn’t that we would just give and receive love but that we could actually become love. People who are becoming love see the beauty in others even when their off-putting behavior makes for a pretty weird mask.”

We can pretend to love people. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13:3 “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.” He says we can play the part, but if we are not doing them out of love, then they mean nothing.

The verses following in 1 Corinthians 13 are the famous verses making this chapter known as the Love Chapter. “Charity” is the English translation of the Greek word, “agapē,” which means a selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love. It is the highest form of love, and THIS is the kind of love in which God loves us. To get a glimpse of what all this means, read the Love Chapter (1 Corinthians 13:4-8). It will help you to know what this love is and what this love is not.

The beauty of Christ’s love is He loves us the same. No one is too good to need Christ, and no one has sinned too much that He won’t accept them. You may have heard the ground is level at the cross (Galatians 3:28). God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). We often make opinions about others based on what we see, but He knows us inside out and better than we know ourselves and STILL loves us! (Thank you, Jesus! 💚)

We are made in His image (Genesis 1:27). So while we may think we’re “normal” and someone else is “weird,” God sees us the same. Made in His image. And if we are saved, His sons and daughters. We will never look into the eyes of someone that God does not love. (Read that again.)

Love, I realize, is more fully given from a heart that has been humbled…Love develops through a process of growth, practice, and exercise. To say ‘love is messy’ is a cliché, but it is nonetheless true.

Sally Clarkson, “Own Your Life”

What would happen if we loved others as we are commanded? How would life be different – for us and for others? I am convinced everything else would fall into place. Unbelievers would want to be believers. Believers wouldn’t sin against each other, but if they did, we would forgive one another because love covers sins (1 Peter 4:8).

Do you see why this fruit of the Spirit is so important? I feel it is the foundation to work towards sanctification, to be more like Christ, and to develop all the other attributes of a Spirit-filled believer. All our thoughts, words, and actions should be infused with love, then there will be no doubt Who we are following.

Ask the Lord to let you see others as He does. Practice loving others by joyfully and sincerely talking with those who you may have avoided in the past. Do it without an agenda, because then you are doing it for a reason. Do it because you love Jesus Christ. God died for their sins just like He died for yours. God loves those people – saved or unsaved – just as He loves you. These are truths you should rejoice in! If we will love like Jesus, then others will see LESS of us and MORE of Him. We need to become love. 💕