What if I loved like Jesus?

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 

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 5:43-48

I have been thinking a lot about what it means to love others recently. I think most believers can get on board pretty easily with the commands from Mark 12, quoted above. Of course we should love God above all else and with our whole selves. We also probably feel pretty good about the “love your neighbor” command, because neighbor seems like a nice enough word, vague enough word. Maybe we generally consider ourselves nice people, so

But in Matthew 5, Jesus takes it further: love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.

Believer, Jesus really meant this. I know that to be true, because Jesus never said things He didn’t mean. I think you probably know He meant it too, so I don’t plan to try to convince you. Instead I want to share my own short reflections of how my life would look if I loved others, even my enemies, as Jesus loves me. (Side note: I think the actual point is that Jesus doesn’t want us to see anyone as our enemy.)

I would be patient and kind.

I would not be jealous, but thankful for the good things and gifts I see in others.

I would not be proud or boastful. I would not consider myself better or more deserving than someone else.

I would tell them about Jesus. I would remind believers of the gospel.

I would not dishonor others.

I would serve joyfully and give generously of my time, energy, and resources.

I would assume the best and seek clarity when I don’t understand something that has been said or done.

I would be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to judge.

I would seek peace in my relationships.

I would not gossip, but seek truth and reconciliation.

I would forgive. And I mean really forgive, not just say the words. (When God forgives us, while we may still experiences consequences of our sins and failures, it means He will no longer bring them up as a means of condemnation against us. We should work to forgive in that same way.)

I would own my mistakes and apologize quickly when I hurt someone.

I would honor others, even my enemies, with my words and actions. I would not speak poorly of them.

I would not let social, political, or any other differences cause me to view someone as less than me.

I would be quick to point out others’ strengths and gifts and the ways I see God working in them and using them.

I would not have to be right.

I would lay down my own desires for the good of another.

I would not be defensive, condescending, or self righteous.

I would not be cynical, critical, or suspicious.

I wouldn’t name call (idiot, stupid, jerk….).

I would weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice.

I would see every person as an image bearer.

I would see people with compassion, the way Jesus did when he looked out on the crowds of people who needed a shepherd.

I would walk with others in their suffering.

I would lovingly and gently confront sin and walk graciously through repentance.

I would not respond with angry sarcasm. 

I would pray for them. Love grows in prayer.

This is just a (kinda) short list of the ways the Holy Spirit has convicted me. I hope you are not too shocked by some of the things you read! There are so many ways we can show love. I would encourage you to pray and ask God to show you how you can love others and seek to walk in obedience to what Jesus himself said was the second most important commandment of all.

Love is at the center of the gospel story. We love because He first loved us. We are able to love because he first loved us. Remember the good news of all that Jesus has done, of how he has displayed his loved toward you. He has and will empower you to love others as you love been loved.