Believers Devotional Network

In the Old Testament, people commonly said, “Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” Revenge was often justified. But Jesus taught something radically different: “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven…”

Jesus has given us one central commandment, and the Bible says: “A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34–35)

The word translated as love in this passage is agape—the unconditional love God shows to you and me. It is the same word used in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Jesus teaches that the true mark of being His disciple is loving one another. But it is not merely loving in a general sense—it is loving as He has loved us.

Take a moment to reflect on this: How does your love compare to the way Jesus loves? What are you doing well, and where do you need to grow?

Although we all have the capacity to love, our love is not perfect like God’s. We often choose whom to love and whom to dislike. Even when our love seems strong, we may still love some people more than others. But God’s love is not selective, and Jesus calls us to be perfect, just as our Father in heaven is perfect.

Since Jesus has commanded us to love one another as He has loved us, our love must grow toward the perfection of God’s love.

Love is not a gift—it is a fruit of the Spirit. A gift is received instantly, but a fruit is developed over time. The more we understand God’s love for us, the more we are able to extend that same love to those around us. We should pray regularly, asking God to teach us and help us love one another. Amen.