Key Verse: John 15:12 

“This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” 

Loving people is something that many of us struggle with. This is because its easy to love people you like, but its hard to love people you don’t like. Jesus never tells us that we can just love those we like. Here in John 15, he simply tells us to love one another. This was originally spoken to the 12 disciples, and I am sure that they all weren’t best friends. We know of at least one time when they had an argument concerning which one would be the greatest. I imagine that they fought at times, and attempted to form little cliques and groups much like people in churches do today. Jesus never accepted this however, He wanted them to truly love one another, not just like each other, or not to just avoid each other. What type of love were they to have for one another? The same love that Jesus loved them with. This was an unconditional, sacrificial love that was not based on one’s likability, but instead based on how God viewed that person. What does it look like when we love others like this? 

We can’t say we love someone and then gossip about them when their back is turned. We can’t say we love someone and then withhold forgiveness from that person. We can’t say we love someone and then tear them down with our tongue. Love looks forgiveness, and building someone up. Love looks like church unity, love looks like caring for each other during the hard times. Are you loving like Jesus does? IF not, I am begging you to start today!!