We can often find ourselves loving those who we like, the people we’re friends with, the ones who are most like us, and the ones who we think are easy to love. But if we’re trying to become more like Jesus, we need to stop thinking about people the way that the world thinks about them (have a read of 2 Corinthians 5:16). God’s love doesn’t change depending on what we do, or don’t do. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, ‘Your Father in heaven…causes the sun to rise on good people and…evil people…he sends rain to those who do right and…those who do wrong. If you love only the people who love you, you will get no reward. Even the tax collectors do that. And if you are nice only to your friends, you are no better than other people. Even those who don’t know God [do that]…you must be perfect [mature] just as your Father in heaven is’ (Matthew 5:45-48 NCV). God’s love towards us is ‘perfect’ because it is unconditional and non-judgmental. The Bible says when we were His enemies, ‘[He] showed his great love…by sending Christ to die for us’ (Romans 5:8 NLT). And we need to make sure that we’re loving others without judging them too. The Bible says: ‘Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love…if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another’ (1 John 4:8,11 ESV). It couldn’t be clearer – we’re called to love others as God loves us. So let’s try and show His love to everyone, not just those we find easy to love.

What Now?

Is there someone in your life who hurt you and now you’re having a hard time loving? If so, pray: ‘God, I’m struggling to love [fill in the name]. Help me to let go of judging and blaming, and begin to love them the way You love me.’