When I read John 15:12-13, it really resonates with me.
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”
Jesus showed us the ultimate example of love by sacrificing himself on the cross and giving us a new way to live.
As believers, we are called to follow his lead and show others the same kind of sacrificial love. But how do we begin to learn how to love like Jesus?
How Do We Learn To Love Like Jesus?
Studying His Word and Prayer
One of the best ways to learn how to love like Jesus is by studying his word and spending time in prayer.
In 1 John 3:16-17, it says, “By this, we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?”
This passage helps remind me that being a follower of Christ requires more than just words; it requires actions.
When I am feeling overwhelmed or uncertain about what loving like Jesus looks like in my day-to-day life, I can turn back to these verses for encouragement and guidance.
Through Fellowship
Another way to learn how to love like Jesus is through fellowship with other believers who can mentor us in our faith journey.
Proverbs 27:17 tells us, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”
We all need people around us who will speak truth into our lives and help hold us accountable when it comes to loving others as Christ loves us.
We were never meant to go through this journey alone—God created us with a desire for community so that we could encourage each other along the way.
How did Jesus teach us to love like God?
Jesus consistently showed God’s love through his actions and words.
He spoke of loving each other as a commandment from God, and he encouraged others to extend kindness and grace to everyone.
Jesus also told us to look at ourselves before judging anyone else, showing us that God looks for repentance first.
We see Jesus’ commandment to love fulfilled in his teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, where he talks about blessing those who hurt us, praying for our enemies, and extending radical hospitality even to those who do not deserve it.
This powerful teaching is still relevant today and calls us, as Jesus did, to look outside of ourselves in order to love like God.
These are some of the things we can do if we want to imitate Jesus when showing love to others, regardless of who and how they are.
Does The Bible tell us to love like Jesus?
According to the Bible, we should love others as Jesus did.
Jesus showed unconditional love and kindness to everyone he met, regardless of their background or reputation, in Ephesians 5:2, John 15:12-13 and 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.
The Bible teaches us to extend grace and strive for a higher standard in our relationships by loving like Jesus.
We are called to love others with the same purity of heart, integrity and compassion as He did.
Learning To Love Like Jesus is A Daily Practice
As Christians seeking after God’s heart, it’s important that we take time every day to study His Word and spend time in prayer so that we can learn how He wants us to show His sacrificial love throughout our lives.
And most importantly, don’t forget about fellowship! Surround yourself with other believers who can challenge you in your faith walk and help sharpen you into a better version of yourself each day.
With these tools at your disposal, there is nothing stopping you from learning how to truly love like Jesus did!
