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.
John 13:34-35 NKJV
What is the meaning of love? The Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary states that love in a general sense is to be pleased with; to regard with affection, on account of some qualities which excite pleasing sensations or desire of gratification. With that in mind, many times people around us are not always going to reflect qualities that excite us or gratify us that’s probably part of, if not the entire reason why Jesus gave the new commandment. We are commanded to love.
“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command,” John 15:13 NKJV.
We are commanded to love one another just as Jesus loved us. If we examine how Jesus loved us, we see that He loved unselfishly, He love us more than He loved Himself. If we are Jesus’ friends then we do whatever He commands, if we obey, we are His friends and if we do not, we aren’t His friends. Again, He commanded us to unselfishly love one another. We show others that we follow Him by the way we love.
With Jesus we are able to do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility counting others more significant than ourselves and seeking others’ interest above our own (Philippians 2:3-5). By doing this amid a morally crooked and spiritually perverted generation, we will be seen as bright lights beacons shining out clearly in the world of darkness.

1 Corinthians 13: 4-8 elaborates exactly what kind of love we are to love each other with: a patient, kind, not envious, unboastful, nor arrogant or rude, and unproud love. With a love that honors others, that’s not self-seeking or easily angered and one that keeps no record of wrongs. A love that does not delight in evil but rejoices in truth, one that always protects, trusts, hopes and preserves. A love that endures and never fails.
“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” Colossians 3:12-15 ESV
Colossians 3:12-15 in turn shows us the character traits we ought to have whilst forgiving one another, making peace rule in our hearts and minds and all while being thankful in the process. Compassion and love are what Jesus is all about, He walked in it and was full of it.

We gain more compassion by spending more time getting to know God. By reading His word, you get to know His heart and by knowing what He did for you, you would want to please Him more. By knowing, appreciating and admiring how amazing Jesus really is, you would want to be more like Him, obey His commands and honor Him. When we do this, it’ll be much easier to love one another just as He loves us.
In a fallen world made with imperfect people, it certainly is not easy to love easily all the time, but it is in those times we must remember that we are commanded to love and to not grow weary or become discouraged in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap, if we do not give in (Galatians 6:9-10).

Generally, in relationships when you have felt like you’ve been treated unfairly or short changed don’t look at that one area, look at the bigger picture and everything that person or persons have done for you. Switch your perspective of looking at the issue through a magnifying glass totally zoomed in which therefore magnifies the issue. Switch your perspective, switch your lens, zoom out. Then you would see more clearly that this person, or these people have done a lot for you or showed you love in many other ways than just this one way.
We often think love is a choice and a feeling or emotion but as discussed earlier, it is a command. So often we allow our feelings to dictate our actions instead of allowing our spirit together with the Holy Spirit determine our actions. As believers in Christ, the Holy Spirit is in us and one of the fruits of the Spirit which is listed first, is love. Divine love is in us, we always have access to it. We must always walk in love by the power of the Holy Spirit so that we do not gratify the selfish desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).
We are to make love our aim, as 1 Peter 4:8 states to above all, have fervent and unfailing love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins, it overlooks unkindness and unselfishly seeks the best for others. We are called to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44).
Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:18 NIV So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you Matthew 7:12 NIV
Galatians 5:6 TPT tells us that faith works through love, what we need and what’s important is faith expressing itself through love, through our actions, through our love walk with Jesus.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 shows us that faith, good works and even spiritual gifts will be judged by the law of love. If not done in love, it means nothing.
We are all God’s children, brothers and sisters of the body of Christ, therefore whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen, and He has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister (1 John 4:20-22).

1 John 4:7-8 states let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. Therefore, one sign that shows we are born again is by evidence of this love.
“We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” 1 John 3:14-15 ESV
1 Peter 1:22-23 states that we who are born again, are born not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God therefore we are to purify our souls by obeying to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, loving one another earnestly from a pure heart.

We as true believers in Jesus Christ have to be ambassadors of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20), representative of Him and love the way He showed us to love, in Him and in His word. We aren’t supposed to mistreat, dislike, look down upon or hate others who aren’t like us or don’t believe what we believe. We are supposed to show others the way to Jesus by the way we live and by the way we love, by our example, the way we live our lives. We aren’t only supposed to hear the word but live the word as depicted in James 1:22. We have to look at people who are non-believers and backsliders as those who are lost, not to criticize but look at them as a soul you have to try to win over to Jesus and save from the damnation of hell.
Let us pray this prayer to help us love like Christ did:
Father God, thank you for your word that teaches us how to love. Thank you, Jesus, for coming and being such a perfect example of how we should love and treat others. Father forgive me of my sins and for any time I have mistreated anyone and have disappointed you; I repent of my sins. Create in me a clean heart O God; and renew a right spirit within me (Psalm 51:10 ESV). Father put a guard over my tongue lest I sin against you. Let every word from my mouth spring forth blessings and not curses. Help me to be salt and light to those around me and in any atmosphere I may encounter. May your love and joy fill my heart so that it overflows to others around me. Grant me divine grace, wisdom, knowledge and understanding to better love like you do. Mold me into the person described in Colossians 3:12-15 and help me to love with an unselfish love that’s described in 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8. Help me to love like you do Jesus so that when others see me and my works, they see you and would want to turn their hearts toward you. Open up a fountain of compassion within me. Holy Spirit help me to always remember that love is not a choice, but a command given by my Lord, Savior and King. Jesus, help me to have a forgiving and thankful heart knowing fully well that if I forgive others only then will you forgive me of my sins (Matthew 6:14). Help me to be a blessing to every relationship in my life and the ability to do everything in love. Thank you, Father, I praise and worship your holy name. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
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References: Webster, N. (2010). Love. An american dictionary of the English language. Waking Lion Press.
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