Loving Others Well: Learning to Love Like Jesus
Loving Others Well Begins With Jesus
Have you ever tried to love someone who was difficult to love?
Perhaps someone hurt you. Maybe someone disappointed you. Or perhaps someone simply treated you unfairly.
You wanted to respond with kindness, but your emotions told you to walk away.
However, Jesus gives us a better way.
As I have studied the life and teachings of the lord Jesus Christ, one truth continues to stand out: Jesus did not merely talk about love. He demonstrated it.
Therefore, if we want to understand loving others well, we must look at Jesus.
He gave us a clear command:
“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”
— John 13:34, KJV
So, what does it mean to love like Jesus?
More importantly, how can we practice Christian love when people are difficult, life is stressful, and our feelings get hurt?
Today, we will look at four powerful ways Jesus demonstrated love. Then, we will turn those lessons into practical steps that we can use at home, at work, in church, and in our communities.
1. Love Compelled Jesus to Give Up His Privileges
First, loving others well requires humility.
Jesus had every right to honor and glory. Yet He willingly humbled Himself and took the form of a servant.
Philippians 2:6-8 gives us a powerful picture of His humility. Jesus did not cling to His position. Instead, He humbled Himself and became obedient, even unto death.
That truth should challenge all of us.
Sometimes we think loving others means making sure we get what we deserve.
We want the last word.
We want recognition.
We want an apology.
We want people to acknowledge that we were right.
Yet love like Jesus sometimes means laying aside our rights for the good of someone else.
For example, imagine that a family member says something hurtful during a disagreement.
You could immediately respond with another hurtful statement.
Instead, you could pause.
You could pray.
You could choose words that bring peace rather than more pain.
That does not mean ignoring truth. It means refusing to let pride control your response.
Therefore, Christian love begins when we stop asking, “What do I deserve?” and start asking, “How can I respond in a way that honors the lord Jesus Christ?”
2. Love Compelled Jesus to Prioritize People
Next, Jesus saw people differently.
He did not simply see problems.
He saw people.
Consider the people Jesus encountered during His earthly ministry.
He spoke with the woman at the well.
He touched the leper.
He stopped for the woman who had suffered with an issue of blood.
He called the tax collector.
He responded to the desperate centurion.
He showed mercy to the thief who hung beside Him on the cross.
Again and again, Jesus noticed people whom others overlooked.
That gives us an important lesson about loving others well.
People Are More Important Than Our Interruptions
Our lives can become incredibly busy.
We have appointments.
We have work.
We have family responsibilities.
We have phones constantly demanding our attention.
Consequently, we can become so busy that we stop noticing people.
Someone may need encouragement while we are rushing through the day.
Someone may need someone to listen while we are thinking about our own problems.
Someone may be hurting while everyone around them assumes they are fine.
Jesus teaches us to slow down enough to notice.
Therefore, ask yourself:
Who around me needs to be seen, heard, encouraged, or helped today?
That simple question can transform the way we practice Christian love.
3. Love Compelled Jesus to Serve Others
Furthermore, Jesus showed love through service.
He did not merely tell His disciples to serve.
He served them.
In John 13, Jesus washed His disciples’ feet.
Think about that for a moment.
Foot washing was a humble task. Yet Jesus willingly performed it.
Then He told His disciples to follow His example.
That lesson remains powerful today.
Loving like Jesus means looking for ways to serve.
You do not need a large platform.
You do not need thousands of followers.
You do not need a special title.
Instead, you can start where you are.
You can prepare a meal for someone who is struggling.
You can call someone who feels lonely.
You can help a neighbor.
You can encourage a discouraged coworker.
You can visit someone who needs company.
You can forgive someone who has hurt you.
You can pray for someone without telling everyone that you did it.
These actions may seem small.
Nevertheless, small acts of Christian love can make a lasting difference.
4. Love Compelled Jesus to Lay Down His Life
Most importantly, Jesus demonstrated the greatest form of love through sacrifice.
He said:
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
— John 15:13, KJV
Then Jesus demonstrated those words through His own sacrifice.
He gave His life so that we could have life.
He did not reserve His sacrifice for perfect people.
He did not wait until everyone deserved it.
Instead, He showed the depth of His love through self-giving obedience.
Therefore, when we talk about loving others well, we must understand that biblical love involves sacrifice.
Sometimes love costs time.
Sometimes it costs comfort.
Sometimes it costs money.
Sometimes it costs our pride.
Sometimes it requires forgiveness.
And sometimes it requires us to put someone else’s legitimate need ahead of our own convenience.
That kind of love does not always feel easy.
However, it reflects the heart of Jesus.
5. Jesus Showed Both Truth and Grace
Another important lesson comes from the way Jesus balanced truth and grace.
Some people emphasize truth while forgetting compassion.
Others emphasize compassion while avoiding truth.
Jesus demonstrated both.
For example, Jesus confronted religious hypocrisy.
He also showed mercy to people who were hurting.
He drove the money changers from the temple when worship had been corrupted.
Yet He also showed compassion to broken and sinful people.
This teaches us something important about love and grace.
Love Does Not Mean Approving Everything
Loving someone does not mean agreeing with everything they do.
Likewise, telling the truth does not require cruelty.
We can speak truth with compassion.
We can correct without humiliating.
We can disagree without hatred.
We can establish boundaries without becoming bitter.
We can extend forgiveness without pretending that something harmful never happened.
Therefore, Christian love does not choose between truth and grace.
Instead, it allows truth and grace to work together.
When Loving People Becomes Difficult
Now, here is where this message becomes practical.
It is easy to talk about love when everyone treats us well.
The real test comes when someone hurts us.
Perhaps someone betrayed your trust.
Perhaps someone criticized you.
Perhaps someone ignored you.
Perhaps someone took advantage of your kindness.
At that moment, loving others well becomes difficult.
So what should we do?
Pause Before You React
First, pause.
Do not allow anger to make your decisions.
Instead, pray before responding.
Remember Who You Represent
Second, remember that your response represents your faith.
Ask yourself:
“Will my response point people toward the lord Jesus Christ?”
Speak Truth With Grace
Third, tell the truth without using truth as a weapon.
You can be honest without being harsh.
Forgive Without Forgetting Wisdom
Finally, learn to forgive while still using wisdom.
Forgiveness does not require you to remain in every unhealthy situation.
Instead, forgiveness releases revenge into the hands of the lord Jesus Christ while allowing you to move forward with wisdom.
A Simple Challenge: Love Someone on Purpose
Now, let’s make this personal.
Think about one person in your life who needs encouragement.
Perhaps that person is struggling.
Perhaps you have not spoken with them for a while.
Perhaps your relationship has become difficult.
This week, choose one intentional act of love.
Send a message.
Make a phone call.
Offer practical help.
Listen without interrupting.
Pray for them.
Or simply tell them, “I appreciate you.”
Do not wait for a perfect opportunity.
Start with a small act of loving like Jesus.
Poll: How Do You Usually Show Love?
Which action best describes how you show love to others?
- ❤️ Listening and encouraging
- 🤝 Serving and helping
- 🙏 Praying for others
- 💬 Speaking words of kindness
- ❤️ Forgiving people
- 🌱 I am still learning
Share your answer in the comments and explain why.
Quick Quiz: Are You Loving Like Jesus?
1. What did Jesus command His disciples in John 13:34?
A. Love one another as He loved them
B. Avoid difficult people
C. Seek recognition
D. Always defend yourself
Answer: A
2. How did Jesus demonstrate servant leadership?
A. By demanding attention
B. By washing His disciples’ feet
C. By avoiding people
D. By seeking earthly power
Answer: B
3. Did Jesus value both truth and grace?
A. Yes
B. No
Answer: A
4. What should we do when someone hurts us?
A. Immediately seek revenge
B. Respond with more anger
C. Pray, seek wisdom, and respond with truth and grace
D. Pretend nothing happened
Answer: C
5. What is one practical way to love others well?
A. Serve someone
B. Encourage someone
C. Listen to someone
D. All of the above
Answer: D
Survey: Where Is God Calling You to Grow?
Take a moment to reflect.
Where do you most need to grow in loving others?
- Patience
- Forgiveness
- Listening
- Serving
- Speaking truth with grace
- Putting others before myself
Your answer may reveal an area where the lord Jesus Christ wants to work in your life.
The Problem Is Not That We Do Not Know About Love
Ultimately, many of us know that we should love others.
The problem is putting love into action.
We know the verses.
We hear the sermons.
We sing the songs.
Yet sometimes our daily lives tell a different story.
That is why we need more than information.
We need transformation.
And transformation begins when we look at Jesus and follow His example.
Jesus showed us what love looks like.
He humbled Himself.
He prioritized people.
He served others.
He sacrificed.
He spoke truth.
He showed grace.
Therefore, if we ever wonder how to love someone, we can ask a simple question:
“What would loving this person like Jesus look like?”
That question can change a conversation.
It can change a marriage.
It can change a friendship.
It can change a church.
It can change a community.
Love Like Jesus Today
Finally, loving others well does not mean becoming perfect overnight.
Instead, it means taking the next step.
Today, choose patience.
Tomorrow, choose kindness.
When someone hurts you, choose prayer before anger.
When someone needs help, choose service.
When someone feels invisible, choose to notice them.
When truth needs to be spoken, speak it with grace.
When forgiveness becomes necessary, ask the lord Jesus Christ for strength.
And when you feel that you cannot love someone anymore, remember how greatly He has loved you.
As we love like Jesus, we become more like Him.
So, let us not merely talk about love.
Let us practice it.
Let us live it.
Let us demonstrate it.
Let us become people who see people instead of problems.
Most importantly, let us follow the example of the lord Jesus Christ.
“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”
— John 13:34, KJV
Love like Jesus. Live like Jesus. Lead others to Jesus.
Reflection Question
Who is one person you can intentionally love this week through your words, time, forgiveness, or service?
Write that person’s name in your heart, pray for them, and then take one practical step.
Because loving others well begins with one decision to love like Jesus.
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