Show Love to Others
The Bible teaches us about the importance of love for others. 1 John 4:7–8 says, “Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” This passage demonstrates why it is so essential for us to show love to others. We can make a direct connection between the love we show to others and our love for God because He is love.
God expects us to act lovingly towards others, regardless of their behaviour. We may have an easier time loving those who are kind to us or even those who are completely unfamiliar, but we must extend this same love to those who are difficult to love. We can see this modeled in Jesus’ response to the people persecuting Him while He was crucified. Luke 23:34 says, “Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.’” We do not have to agree with the behaviour of others in order to love them, but we must be willing to forgive and be patient with them.
When it comes to loving our neighbours and enemies according to the Bible, there is a different but equally important application. Romans 12:10 reminds us to be devoted to one another in the same kind of love. Believers are commanded to love those in the church and be respectful to one another. As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13:4–8, “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” We are called to focus on the wellbeing of those around us and not just ourselves.
Our love for others is seen in our actions. As the book of James tells us, “If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’, you are doing right.” If we truly intend to love people as Jesus does, we must do more than simply tell them that we love them. We must be practical with our love. We can do this by offering encouraging words to those who are feeling down, praying for people in need, and by sacrificing our own comfort and convenience for the benefit of others. Through these behaviours, we can show the world a glimpse of God’s love.
Love Patiently
Not only is it important to offer love to others, but it is also important to do so patiently. When it comes to loving people who have hurt us, patience is especially important. According to 1 Corinthians 13:4, “Love is patient…” We can see this demonstrated in the story of Hosea, who was willing to forgive his adulterous wife and take her back despite the pain and betrayal she had caused him. This demonstrates the kind of patient love that God desires us to have for others. We must be willing to forgive and give others chances even when they have wronged us.
Sometimes, loving someone can be difficult or we may struggle with showing love in a particular situation. In these times, we must ask God for strength to love others. Galatians 5:22–23 says, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Asking God to fill us with these qualities can help us to show love towards others in even the most difficult moments.
A further challenge of loving others is to do so without expecting anything in return. Jesus explained this concept when He said, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:27–28). This message is truly revolutionary. We should not love others for any kind of recognition, reward, or personal gain; we should do it because it is our duty as Christians to do so.
Though it may be difficult to love those who are not lovable, it is essential for us to remember that God loves them no matter what. When we look at others through His eyes, it gives us the strength and motivation to do what is right and show them love. We must humble ourselves and imitate God’s perfect example of love in order to love others according to the Bible.
Practice Selflessness
If we want to love people the way God plans for us to, we must be willing to give of ourselves. 1 John 3:16 says, “This is how we know what real love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” This verse reminds us that we should put the needs of others before our own. This is no easy task and is often a challenge for us to do.
Previous instructions on how to love others according to the Bible highlighted the need for us to forgive and to be patient, and the same applies to achieving selflessness. When we do not forgive those who hurt us, we can allow bitterness to harden our hearts. Then, our actions towards them can be motivated out of vengeance rather than selfless love. We must ask God to purify our hearts and make room for us to love others with an attitude of service.
Philippians 2:3–4 reads, “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.” We must remind ourselves of this scripture when we pursue altruism. Instead of always striving to receive something in return, we should lean into serving those around us out of genuine love. We should desire to build relationships and show preferential treatment to others without expecting something in return.
Though it may feel counterintuitive or even foolish to practice selflessness, we must remember that it is God’s will for us to put other’s needs before our own. Jesus modeled this in His death and He invites us to share in His ministry of love and sacrifice. So, if we want to love others according to the Bible we must learn to be selfless for their sakes.
Be Unconditionally Accepting & Compassionate
An act of love that we can often overlook is unconditional acceptance. This can be difficult and uncomfortable, particularly in a world where it is so easy to be judgmental. In the book of James 4:11–12, it says, “Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?” We must remember that it is not our duty to judge others but instead to offer them love and acceptance.
We can illustrate our acceptance of others by treating them with the same compassion Jesus did. Matthew 5:43–48 reads, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
It is critical to extend the same hospitality and kindness to others that we would want for ourselves. We cannot expect people to be excited about building relationships with us if we cannot even bring ourselves to accept others for who they are. Through our actions, we can actively demonstrate our love for them and treat them as though they were part of our own family. This is a powerful display of love that goes beyond words.
Remain Humble & Teachable
Remaining humble and teachable when it comes to loving others is key. Before we can offer authentic love to others, we must first have a humble attitude towards those around us. In 1 Peter 5:5–6, it says, “In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you must clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.” We must admit that we do not have all the answers and be willing to learn from others.
We can also seek to humbly understand others by asking questions. This demonstrates our vulnerability and it gives others the opportunity to offer wisdom. Managing communication in a respectful manner is also essential for peacefully connecting with those around us. We should always strive to remain civil and courteous in how we speak with others. On the flip side, it is our job to extend grace when we are on the receiving end of someone’s hurtful or rude words. Only then can we demonstrate true Christian love.
Additionally, we must be open to teaching and helping others. Jesus spent time with His disciples every day and He taught them how to live and love like Him. We can take part in this same mission by using our God-given gifts and passions to aid those around us. We might serve the poor, mentor young people, or fill other meaningful roles in our communities that have the potential to positively impact the lives of others. Our teachability will not only help others but it will also help us to love others according to the Bible.
Make Sacrifices When Necessary
Finally, we must be willing to make sacrifices for the sake of others if needed. Jesus sacrificed His own life for us and He expects us to follow His example in lesser ways. This does not mean that we should be constantly putting ourselves in danger for the sake of others, but rather that we should be willing to put aside our own wants and needs if that is what is required of us. Romans12: 10 tells us to “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” Our love for others must go beyond comfort or convenience.
We can take part in making sacrificial acts of love on a daily basis. We can choose to help someone with their to-do list even if it means that our own list will take
