4 Ways to Love Like Jesus

4/7/2023

To love like Jesus, simply begin by following His example found in the New Testament. By studying His earthly life, we note one very important characteristic. He loved His Father! When reading about Jesus' life on earth we see His love for others was rooted and grounded in His love for the Father. We can follow His example of loving God by prioritizing our relationship with God. One way we do this is by spending time with Him in prayer. Another is through worship. A third is by reading His Word.

To love like Jesus, we simply begin by following His example and His teachings found in the New Testament. By studying His earthly life, we note one very important characteristic. He loved His Father! When reading about Jesus' life on earth we see His love for others was rooted and grounded in His love for the Father.

We can follow His example of loving God by prioritizing our relationship with God. How do we do this? One way we do this is by spending time with Him in prayer. Another way we prioritize our relationship with God is through our worship. A third way we deepen our relationship with Him is by reading and meditating on His Word—the Bible.

Prayer, worship, and reading God's Word, give us a greater understanding of His love. Through these practices, we will gain a better sense of how to love as Jesus loves.

This time of year, especially, we think of the greatest sacrifice known to man. That sacrifice is Jesus' death on the cross of Calvary which paid the penalty for the sin of all mankind. Jesus demonstrated the ultimate act of love by sacrificing Himself for us. We can follow His example by putting others' needs before our own. We can emulate His example by being willing to make sacrifices for the well-being of others.

"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13

Here are four ways we can love like Jesus:

Practice kindness and compassion. Jesus' love for the people He ministered to is marked by kindness. His love is characterized by compassion. "When He saw the crowds, He had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd" (Matthew 9:36). We can love like Jesus by practicing the act of kindness to those we come in contact with. By showing compassion toward those going through difficulties, we love like Jesus.
Forgive others. Jesus' love is also characterized by forgiveness. When someone wrongs us, following Jesus' example, we are to forgive. We are to forgive them instead of holding a grudge. "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you" (Ephesians 4:32). Because we ourselves have been forgiven, we are to forgive. I have often said that forgiveness is a gift you give yourself. Offering forgiveness not only helps us feel at peace, but it also reflects Jesus' love for those around us. Always remember, Jesus forgave those who wronged Him, and we can do the same. Forgiveness is powerful!
Love unconditionally. God's love for us is unconditional. It is not based on what we do. Also, it is not based on what we don't do. "But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Our love for others should be unconditional as well. In the same way, without expecting anything in return, we are to love like Jesus. Jesus' command that we are to love others as ourselves is at the heart of His earthly ministry and teachings. "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:30-31). No other commandment is greater than these! We love like Jesus by treating others with kindness, compassion, and respect. Jesus was not a respecter of persons. He loved people regardless of their position in life, background, or circumstances.
Be a servant leader. When we read of Jesus' time on earth we see Him as a servant, always reaching out to intentionally serve others. "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Jesus came to serve as we should go and serve. Jesus showed His love in this way, and we should do the same. We should look for ways to help others such as volunteering, giving to charity, or being there for those in need.

Remember that loving like Jesus is a lifelong journey, and it may not always be easy. Sometimes, actually, it may be quite difficult. But the Holy Spirit enables us to love like Jesus even when loving is hard. With practice and dedication, we can cultivate a love that reflects the love of Jesus to those around us. By following these principles, we can love like Jesus. By doing so we will make a positive, spiritual impact on the lives of those that cross our path.