Love Like God

You have probably heard and seen the verse love your neighbor as yourself. Mathew 22:29 NIV. This verse basically means showing someone the same care, attention and, even the devotion that God Himself has shown you throughout your entire existence.  This is a hard topic to understand, and to do it requires discipline, courage, strength and, a lot of willpower. It can also mean that a lot of egos and pride will come down.

Loving someone the way you love yourself is a difficult concept to understand because you don’t always want to love other people. When you love yourself, you normally feel good about it. But what about when something bad happens to you? Don’t you get easily discouraged and think about giving up?

Every single one of us has have asked the question why should I love someone who has wrong me? We have all asked, how can God expect me to love that person when all they do is hurt me, manipulate, deceive, or, criticize me? The answer is because He loved you enough that He came down from Heaven to die for you. He loved you so much that He willingly gave up His life for you. If that doesn’t show you, true love, then nothing will. How can you not forgive someone as God forgives you?

Learn to Love Like Jesus

You can learn a lot from Jesus and the way He loves people. No matter how the people reacted towards Him, He showed them, love. Every day you can imitate Him and try to show love to others no matter how they treat you. It is easy to turn the other cheek and to give people the silent treatment or to even want to start a fight with them when they treat you poorly. But Jesus, on the other hand, did the opposite. He treated the people that treated Him poorly, with compassion. Instead of being angry at the people who hung Him to die on the cross, He willingly forgave them and asked His Father to have mercy on them.

If God can send His only son Jesus, to die for everyone, no matter what they might have done, how can you not treat others with compassion, too? Sure, some days are more difficult than others, but that is where God can show you how to love others in ways that He knows best. He can teach you to forgive those who have hurt you, do tasks without being asked and, without expecting anything in return. He can teach you the best way to share the Gospel and help them realize that there is no sin He won’t forgive.

Follow Jesus’ Example of Kindness

There are many ways you can show kindness. You can feed people who hungry, clothe people who need clothing, and, be there for anyone who needs a listening ear, encouragement, or, a helping hand. You can also be like Jesus in giving people second and even third chances. After all, you sin every day and Jesus gives you chance after chance to repent, so how can you do anything less? Jesus dined with tax collectors and helped people see the truth, so you can help teach others about His kindness, too.

Jesus also healed the sick, opened the eyes of the blind, and, raised people from the dead. You aren’t able to do miracles the way Jesus did during His three-year ministry, but you can still be a light that points others to Christ. Show compassion to others. Forgive and help others in the best way that you can, with your unique gifts.

Look at the Cross

You may not ever have to die for someone the way that Christ died for you. However, if you look at the ultimate sacrifice He made in love for you, it can change your perspective on loving others. Ask God to help clear your mind and how you how to love others the way He wants you to love them. Ask Him to show you how to use your talents and abilities to show His grace, love, and mercy to everyone around you, whether you feel like it or not.

To love someone as you love yourself truly means to forgo your ego and your pride and lay it all down at the foot of the cross and love people no matter what. No one can love completely like God does, but He can help you see the right ways to love someone in His ways, not your own.