As we continue our journey through a year of spiritual growth, rooted in virtue, this month we focus on love—a virtue that is foundational to our faith. Love is more than a feeling; it is a command, an action, and a lifestyle. The Apostle John makes it clear in 1 John 4:8 (NASB), “The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” Love is not just part of who God is—it is who God is. As believers, we are called to love because God has first loved us. But what does it look like to truly live out this virtue of love? How do we practice love in a world that can feel so divided and broken?
Love is central to our Christian walk. It is through love that we reflect the character of God to the world. Jesus taught us in Matthew 22:37-39 (NASB), “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” These two commandments sum up the law of God and give us our foundation for how we are to live as His followers.
Love: The Greatest Commandment
When we examine the life and teachings of Jesus, it becomes clear that love was the heartbeat of His ministry. He didn’t just talk about love; He embodied it in every interaction, in every miracle, and in His sacrifice on the cross. As believers, we are called to do the same. We are called to love God with all of our being—our heart, soul, and mind. This love for God is the foundation of our lives, and it flows out of us into every area of our relationships.
The second part of Jesus’ commandment—to love our neighbors as ourselves—reminds us that love isn’t just vertical (between us and God), but horizontal (between us and others). Loving others can sometimes be difficult, especially when we are faced with people who don’t love us back, or when we experience hurt or betrayal. However, God’s love is not conditional. His love for us is not based on our performance or worthiness, but on His grace and mercy. And it is that same unconditional love we are called to show to others.
The Sacrificial Nature of Love
In John 15:13 (NASB), Jesus teaches us about the depth of love: “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” This is the ultimate example of sacrificial love. Jesus, knowing that He was about to be crucified, showed the greatest act of love by giving His life for us. He did this while we were still sinners, undeserving of His love. And yet, He chose to love us anyway.
This sacrificial love is what we are called to model in our own lives. Love is not just about feeling affection or being kind when it’s easy. It’s about putting others’ needs before our own, even when it’s difficult. It’s about forgiving, even when forgiveness feels impossible. It’s about choosing to serve others, even when it requires personal sacrifice.
The Apostle Paul explains this sacrificial love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NASB), saying, “Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” This is the kind of love we are called to, and it is not easy. But it is the love that transforms both our hearts and the hearts of those around us.
Struggles with Practicing Love
Let’s be honest—loving others, especially when it’s hard, can be a real struggle. It’s easy to love people who love us back, but what about the difficult people in our lives? What about those who have hurt us, betrayed us, or who simply make it hard to love?
The reality is, there will be moments when we feel justified in holding onto bitterness or anger. There will be times when love feels like a burden, or when we just don’t feel like loving. But in those moments, we are reminded that love is not based on feelings, but on choice and obedience to God’s command.
In 1 John 4:19 (NASB), we read, “We love, because He first loved us.” It is in God’s love for us that we find the strength to love others. We are not left to rely on our own strength or resources. God’s love is always sufficient, and His Holy Spirit empowers us to love in ways that are beyond our natural ability.
The Process: Growing in Love
Growing in love is a process. It doesn’t happen overnight, and it often comes through challenging experiences where we are stretched, refined, and molded. But this is the beauty of spiritual growth. As we continue to walk with God and allow His love to shape our hearts, we become more capable of loving others in the same way He loves us.
In Philippians 1:9-11 (NASB), Paul prays for the Philippians’ love to abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that they may be able to discern what is best and be pure and blameless. This is the growth process that we are invited into. It’s not just about loving in the easy moments; it’s about maturing in love, deepening in our understanding of God’s love, and becoming more Christlike in our actions.
Grace: The Empowerment to Love
We cannot practice love in our own strength. It is God’s grace that empowers us to love the unlovable, to forgive the unforgivable, and to serve when we feel exhausted. It is only through the grace of God that we are able to love as He has loved us.
2 Corinthians 12:9 (NASB) reminds us, “But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” It is in our weakness, our inability to love on our own, that God’s grace becomes most evident. When we rely on Him, His love flows through us, and we are able to love others in ways that bring Him glory.
Perseverance: Holding Fast to Love
The call to love is a lifelong journey. There will be moments of struggle, of failure, and of doubt. But love is a choice we make daily, and perseverance in love is key. In Galatians 6:9 (NASB), we are encouraged, “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.” Perseverance in love means continuing to love even when it feels hard, even when it seems like our love isn’t being returned, and even when we face opposition.
Love, like any other virtue, requires perseverance. It’s not a one-time decision; it’s a daily commitment to live out the love of Christ in every interaction and relationship. And as we continue to choose love, we will experience the fruit of that love in our lives and in the lives of those around us.
Closing Prayer:
Father, thank You for the incredible gift of Your love. We are humbled by Your sacrificial love and the way You have poured it into our hearts. Help us to love others as You have loved us, even when it’s hard. Empower us with Your Holy Spirit to live out this virtue daily, and may our love be a testimony to Your grace and goodness. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Conclusion: Love as Our Greatest Witness
Love is the virtue that most clearly reflects God’s heart to the world. When we love others as God has loved us, we show the world the transformative power of the Gospel. We become living witnesses to the love of Christ, and our love becomes a testimony to the power of God at work in us. Let us strive to love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind, and to love others as ourselves. May our love be a reflection of the love that God has poured into our hearts, and may it transform the world around us.
