What Jesus has taught me about loving people

He Would Love First

In the world today, it is easy to see all the hate. The hate towards people who are different, whether that’s racially, sexually, or even people who just have different ideas than you. It’s easy to hate. 

It’s hard to love. People are hard to love. But they shouldn’t be hard to love because they are different from you. They’re hard to love because we’re all hard to love. 

And yet, despite how hard to love we are, Jesus loved us. He still loves us. And he proved it to us in the most incredible way. 

First, he was born in a manger. 

Then, he lived his life perfectly – loving imperfect people. 

And finally, despite being perfect, he obediently went to the cross to pay for our imperfections. 

Now, he has called us to be more like him – to love imperfect people. 

But how? How are we supposed to show love?

Jesus prayed for people. Jesus healed them. Jesus taught them. Jesus rebuke them when they did wrong. Jesus forgave them. Jesus fed them. Jesus ate with them. Jesus met their needs, whatever they were, in the best way he could. 

Jesus died for them. 

Our job is to try our best and to carry them to Jesus. 

Jesus would love first. Be more like Jesus.

Written December 2019.