Loving Your Neighbor The Way Jesus Does

How do we frame people when we see them? We are all flawed but we seem to see others more flawed then we see ourselves. Ever notice how God always seems to bring those that are hardest to love into your life? It seems like the people who are hardest to love, being patient and loving them can lots of times soften them. “Anything will give up its secrets if you love it enough” -George Washington Carver.  “If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them!  Luke 6:32-36  

Romans 15:13 says, I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. That means our lives should and will overflow with His love, joy and hope! Faith is translated through our life. How we love others reflects Christ’s love living inside us. Jesus told us the greatest commandment was ”You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.”

And next Jesus said, “ A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’.

Mathew 22:37&38 But if God is not the love of our life, there is no way that we will truly love our neighbor as ourselves. Our love for each other is an indication of the place God is holding in our hearts.

And how has He loved us? With the greatest love there is, the love that moved Jesus to lay down His life for His friends (John 15:13). But this doesn’t mean that Jesus loved us, His friends, more than his Father. It means that Jesus loved us best because He loved His Father most (John 17:26;    Mark 14:36   ). And “if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4:11).

Let’s look for ways to really love people this week. Who is that hard- not so lovable- person God has brought into your life? Pray for them and watch how your heart softens towards them!