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The call to love one another is not a suggestion. It is a command. It comes directly from our Lord Jesus Christ. In John 13:34–35, He said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
This command is clear. It is simple. Yet it is deep and demanding. Jesus did not say love when it is easy. He did not say love only those who treat you well. He set a higher standard. He said, “as I have loved you.” This is the measure. This is the pattern. This is the expectation.
You must first understand that love is the identity of the Kingdom. It is not gifts. It is not titles. It is not outward appearance. Love is the proof that you belong to God. When people look at your life, they should see love in action. Not in words alone, but in your conduct, your decisions, and your attitude.
Jesus showed us what this love looks like. He loved without condition. He loved the weak. He loved the rejected. He loved even those who betrayed Him. In Luke 23:34, while on the cross, He said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” This is not natural love. This is divine love.
You are called to walk in this same love.
Love requires sacrifice. It will cost you something. It may cost your comfort. It may cost your pride. It may cost your time. But love that costs nothing is not the love Jesus commanded. In 1 John 3:16, the scripture says, “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
This means you must be willing to serve others. You must be willing to give. You must be willing to forgive. Love is not passive. It is active. It moves. It reaches out. It builds others up.
You cannot claim to love God and hate your brother. This is a serious warning. In 1 John 4:20, it says, “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar.” These are strong words, but they reveal the truth. Your love for God is proven by how you treat others.
Examine your heart. Do you carry bitterness? Do you hold grudges? Do you avoid certain people because of past offenses? These things block the flow of love in your life. You must deal with them. You must choose to forgive.
Forgiveness is not a feeling. It is a decision. It is an act of obedience. In Ephesians 4:32, the scripture says, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” You forgive because you have been forgiven.
Love also requires humility. You cannot love properly if you are full of pride. Pride makes you focus on yourself. Love makes you focus on others. Philippians 2:3–4 says, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.”
This means you must value others. You must respect them. You must listen. You must be patient. Love is not quick to anger. Love is not easily offended. In 1 Corinthians 13:4–5, it says, “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked.”
This is the standard you are called to live by.
You must also understand that love is a choice you make daily. It is not based on mood. It is not based on how others behave. It is based on your commitment to obey God. Every day, you will have opportunities to love or to react. You must choose love.
When someone offends you, choose love. When someone ignores you, choose love. When someone speaks against you, choose love. This is not weakness. This is strength. It takes strength to love when it is hard.
Love builds unity among Kingdom citizens. Where there is love, there is peace. Where there is love, there is growth. But where there is division, strife, and hatred, the work of God is hindered. In Colossians 3:14, it says, “But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.”
Love holds everything together. It keeps relationships strong. It keeps the community healthy. Without love, everything falls apart.
You must also extend love beyond your circle. Do not limit your love to those who are close to you. Jesus taught in Matthew 5:44, “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you.” This is a higher level of love. This is what sets you apart.
Anyone can love those who love them. But Kingdom citizens are called to go further. You are called to reflect the heart of God. God shows kindness even to those who reject Him. You must do the same.
Love is also shown through your actions. Words are not enough. In 1 John 3:18, it says, “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” This means you must show love through what you do.
Help those in need. Encourage the discouraged. Visit the sick. Support those who are struggling. Speak words that build up, not words that tear down. Let your life be an example of love in action.
You must guard your heart daily. The world promotes selfishness. It promotes pride. It promotes division. If you are not careful, these things will enter your heart. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.”
Fill your heart with the word of God. Spend time in prayer. Stay connected to God. When your heart is right, your love will be genuine.
Remember this. Love is not optional. It is a command. It is the mark of a true follower of Christ. It is the evidence that you are walking in the Kingdom.
As you go about your daily life, make this your focus. Let love guide your words. Let love guide your actions. Let love guide your decisions.
When you fail, do not give up. Return to God. Ask for strength. Ask for grace. Keep growing in love.
In the end, love is what will stand. In 1 Corinthians 13:13, it says, “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
Choose love every day.
Walk in love.
Live in love.
Let your life reflect the love of Christ to everyone around you.