John 13:34 – “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”
We all like to be loved. But we don’t always like to love the people God has placed in our lives. It’s easier to love a friend who’s fun and outgoing, rather than one who’s lonely and depressed. It’s easier to love someone who lavishes you with gifts, rather than one who hardly remembers to call you back. It’s easier to love those who are dying for their faith in Christ, rather than the ones who are actually doing the killing.
But Jesus calls us to a higher level of love altogether. He wants us to love like He does. We too were once sinners – murdering with our anger, lusting with our thoughts, impure in our intentions and actions. And yet, Jesus loved us. He called us to Himself, not worried about the filth that we had clothed ourselves in. He took pity on us… had compassion on us. He looked beyond our wayward actions and looked into the needs of our soul.
Is there someone unlovable in your life? Has someone hurt you with their words, behavior or actions? Can you take the challenge to love them like Jesus? Will you look beyond their hurtful behavior and angry words, and look into what their soul needs? They need Jesus. And Jesus needs you to show them His mercy and compassion. People will know you are a child of God when you are able to love the unlovable. When you love like Jesus, you are behaving as a true child of the Lord Most High.
