“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4:11
Here it is again. A command to love one another. This time hammered home with supreme logic. God loves us even though we are disobedient at best, and defiant at worst. If he can love us in spite of our very serious flaws, which should result in eternal punishment if not for Grace, then we certainly should be able to love other inherently evil creatures like ourselves.
Love is a verb, an action word. It is something we can decide to do. Sometimes the decision to love another person takes everything we have in us, but deciding to love others is what God has commanded us to do. The decision to obey this command benefits us, and the ones we choose to love.
Are we loving someone if we are constantly critical of them? Are we loving someone if we talk about someone behind their back? Are we loving someone if we allow ourselves to feel superior to them? Are we loving someone if we allow ourselves to be impatient with them because we are tired or don’t feel good? Loving others takes effort and requires self-examination of our motives and our thoughts. Loving others is intentional.
Pray that God will soften your heart, take away your pride, and help you to love even the most difficult people in your life. Jesus gave us the greatest example of loving others on the cross when in Luke 23:34 he said “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And then he gave His life to save us!
Follow Jesus. Be like Jesus. Love others.