What is love anyways? We throw the word around all the time as if there’s some universal definition. I think most of us would say love is something that makes you feel good, like a hug or a kind word. We’d probably say love is not a tangible thing that can be held or seen, but it can manifest itself through us in tangible ways. 

Truth is, the Bible actually defines love. “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. GOD IS LOVE, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him” ??(1 John? ?4:16?). Our God, Jesus, is love Himself! Jesus didn’t walk around making people feel good and saying kind things to them– his message actually offended some people. He chose to speak the truth, even if it were to upset some. Jesus was generous– he fed people, healed them of sickness, and sat with children. But his love extended beyond this. He told people the truth about salvation and heaven: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John? ?3:3?). He claimed to be the Messiah or savior (John 4:25-26), which upset many Jewish religious leaders. But even as He hung on the cross in excruciating pain as a replacement for us and what we deserve, out of love He uttered “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke? ?23:34?). “THIS is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John? ?4:10?). 

This past month in Nsoko, Eswatini, God taught me a lot about love. My brain sees everything very black and white, so for a long time I’ve viewed following Jesus as a list of things to do to be a “good Christian.” I fell in love with Jesus my senior year of high school, and I took on my own idea of this new commandment He gave: “just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” ??(John? ?13:34?). For the longest time, my idea of love was to be self sacrificial, to say nice things, to smile and give hugs, and tell people the truth about Jesus. But I was missing something big! Love is not a list of actions, it’s a posture of the heart. Jesus never acted like He cared about people… He genuinely loved them and wanted the best for them. For me to love people like Christ did would be to recognize that we all mess up, wether it’s a little or a lot. To rank people on a scale of good to bad has never been my responsibility, and even Jesus didn’t do that. He died for ALL of us, both “good person” and not. Jesus didn’t ask us to just love my friends or people we get along with– He asked us to love everyone, as HE loved (“for God so loved the world” John 3:16). When we start to view people as their shortcomings, we’re missing the point. People are not their mistakes– they are human beings created by a Father who just wants a loving relationship with His kids. 

My prayer for each of you is that you are able to see people as people, the way Jesus does. He really really loves you, and I pray that you get to experience this love deeper than you ever have before. I pray that this love seeps so deep into your being that you desire to authentically share it with others. This love has changed my life in the best possible way, and I pray that you would experience this life change if you haven’t yet.