One of the most important and visible characteristics of Christians is supposed to be our love, both for one another and for outsiders. Jesus made that very clear in his instructions to his followers. 

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. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:34-35 ESV

But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. Luke 6:27-28 ESV

Most people who say they follow Jesus acknowledge this expectation and would claim to obey these commands. Many even really try to love everybody. But I think it does us some good to stop and consider whether we’re displaying God’s love the way we are called to do.

We first need to consider what love means here. It’s not primarily a matter of emotion, but rather of deep, genuine concern for others. We may find it very difficult to summon up affection for an enemy, or even just a stranger, but that doesn’t mean that we cannot be concerned for their well-being.

One of the dangers that we face is thinking that love is a matter of words, that we are showing love if we say we love. However, that doesn’t line up with the Bible. Jesus does not say, “Tell your enemies you love them.” He tells us to pray for our enemies, and beyond that, to “do good,” not just for our friends, neighbors, family, fellow Christians, but even to those who hate us. 

John points out that we sometimes fail in our love even to our fellow believers. 

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. 1 John 3:16-18 ESV

I know that I am sometimes guilty of loving in word or talk rather than action, and I suspect that I am far from alone.

Talking about love is not enough, so what should our love look like? The first answer has to be that it should look like Jesus. We’re supposed to be showing the love that he’s given us; therefore, we should act like him. This raises the question, how did he demonstrate love? The big answer is dying on the cross for us. We can’t do that, and few of us will be called on to die for someone else, but there are also lots of smaller answers scattered through the gospels.

• Jesus fed people. Yes, he did it miraculously with limited resources. Whether we are granted such a miracle or not, we can help feed people with what we have. The parable of the sheep and the goats specifically calls this out.
• Jesus healed people. Few of us have the gift of physical healing, but we can help those who are hurt and sick in a variety of ways. The story of the Good Samaritan is a story of showing love by helping someone who has been injured.
• Jesus spent time with people and listened to them. The woman at the well and many in her town believed in Jesus because he took the time to speak with and know her. Yes, he had advantages in knowing her history and situation, but we can learn a lot about people just by taking the time to listen to them. And the Holy Spirit can give us deeper understanding if we really listen to both the person and God. Even though he was about to solve Mary’s problem, he stopped to grieve with her over Lazarus. He took time with Nicodemus as he struggled to understand spiritual rebirth. He took time to talk with Peter in the aftermath of Peter’s denials, the crucifixion, and the resurrection.
• Jesus told people the good news of the Kingdom of Heaven. While his commands are challenging, and his treatment of the religious elite was sometimes scathing, his message to the people around him was consistently one of hope.

Along with being an example, Jesus gave some instruction on how to treat people. 

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ Matthew 25:31-40 ESV

The passage goes on to condemn the “goats” who did not help those in need.

Most of us have far greater material resources than Jesus had during his ministry. He chose to be a wandering teacher with no money, no fixed dwelling, just enough to get by from day to day. Whether we have much or little, we have an obligation to use what we have to show love to people, not just our fellow believers but even those who hate us passionately. Whether we can offer time, a little kindness, food, clothing, money, opportunities, hope, or something else, we need to pay attention to those around us and demonstrate God’s love. In the words of Paul: 

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. Ephesians 6:9-10 ESV

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash