Most of us are determined to find our purpose in life. One of the most exciting aspects of following Christ and accepting a life of discipleship is finding your purpose. While God has a unique purpose for each of His people, there are also some universal purposes that apply to all of us. Perhaps the most important of those universal purposes is to love others like Christ loves.
That’s right, God put you here to love other people. Not only does He want you to love others, but He also wants you to love others the same way that He does. Jesus loved everyone that He came in contact with, including the people who crucified Him. That’s why He asked God to forgive them while they stood there mocking and torturing Him.
That’s how God wants us to love other people. We are called, no, we are commanded to love other people like Jesus. Is that really possible? Can we love other people the same way that God loves everyone? Not only can we, but we must.
Loving like Christ loves won’t be easy. In a lot of cases, it will require you to step outside of your comfort zone. But that’s what God has put you here to do. Love others like Christ loves!
The Power of Unity in Loving How Christ Loves
Romans 12:4-5 (TPT)
In the human body there are many parts and organs, each with a unique function. And so it is in the body of Christ. For though we are many, we’ve all been mingled into one body in Christ. This means that we are all vitally joined to one another, with each contributing to the others.
One of the most vital aspects of loving others is to remember that we are all on the same team. Actually, the way that God has constructed His Church goes beyond being part of the same team, it is about being part of the same body.
Does your elbow hate your kneecap? Of course not! Why would it? The two serve completely different purposes, but if you took either of them away, you would immediately notice the impact.
We are called to love others because we are all part of the same body. When we recognize that fact, we are able to better love others like Christ loves. We are called to live a life of unity, and you cannot have unity without love.
Loving How Christ Loves Isn’t Always Easy
Luke 6:32-33 (TPT)
“Are you really showing true love by loving only those who love you? Even those who don’t know God will do that. Are you really showing compassion when you do good deeds only to those who do good deeds to you? Even those who don’t know God will do that.
One of the signs of true Christianity is the ability to love others who don’t necessarily love us. That’s not always easy, but it’s always necessary. In this lesson, Christ spoke on the importance of loving people, even when they don’t reciprocate.
The unsaved and unchurched love people who love them. Those who don’t know Christ are good to those who are good to them. If that’s all we do, how are we any different from them? We’re not.
Instead, God wants us to love the people who don’t love us. God wants us to show compassion to those who don’t extend us the same courtesy. This isn’t natural, but God doesn’t operate in the natural. Instead, when we have been transformed by the love of God, we can extend that love to people, even when they don’t love us.
It’s Not an Option
John 15:12 (TPT)
“So this is my command: Love each other deeply, as much as I have loved you.”
Finally, if you’re not sure about this whole “loving like Christ loves” thing, it’s crucial that you understand that it isn’t an option. There are some things that God will never ask you to do. Additionally, there may be some things that God asks you to do, but not doing them may not completely alter your life. However, loving others with the same love that Christ has shown to us is not an option.
Would you purposely break one of the Ten Commandments? No, we’re not under the Law of Moses, but the principles conveyed in the Ten Commandments certainly still apply. When Christ told us to love others, He said that this was His commandment.
God didn’t allow for any wiggle room on this one. Instead, He commanded us to love others. If you’re not sure about whether or not this really applies to you, it does. Christ didn’t command some of His people to love others with the same love that He offered. Instead, He commanded all of us.
A Closing Prayer:
Heavenly Father, help me to better love others. I know that it is a commandment, and that I do not have the option of sitting this one out. Help me to love those who don’t love me, and extend compassion to those who lack compassion. Remind me of the importance of unity, and the love that will naturally spring from it. In Christ’s name, Amen.
One of the most effective ways that you can fulfill God’s plan for your life is to simply love others. Unfortunately, that’s not always easy. People are unique with their own thoughts and behaviors, meaning that it’s not always easy to love them. However, God wants us to love others the same way that He loves us. Is that really possible? The Bible teaches us that “God is love,” so can it really be possible for us to love others the way that He does? Yes! Yes, you can!
Most of us are determined to find our purpose in life. One of the most exciting aspects of following Christ and accepting a life of discipleship is finding your purpose. While God has a unique purpose for each of His people, there are also some universal purposes that apply to all of us. Perhaps the most important of those universal purposes is to love others.
That’s right, God put you here to love other people. Not only does He want you to love others, but He also wants you to love others the same way that He does. Jesus loved everyone that He came in contact with, including the people who crucified Him. That’s why He asked God to forgive them while they stood there mocking and torturing Him.
That’s how God wants us to love other people. We are called, no, we are commanded to love other people like Jesus. Is that really possible? Can we love other people the same way that God loves everyone? Not only can we, but we must.
Loving like Jesus won’t be easy. In a lot of cases, it will require you to step outside of your comfort zone. But that’s what God has put you here to do. Love others!