God calls us to choose love intentionally, not just for those we like but for everyone. Loving others is an active decision that reflects God’s character and points the world to Him.
Love is a deliberate choice, not just a feeling. God so loved us that He came and died for us so we can be freed from the bondage of sin and made right with God. Those who have trusted in Him for the forgiveness of sins have experienced His love and are transformed by it. Because of this, believers are called to show love to everyone, not only those we like or who love us back (Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 5:44). Both the Old and New Testaments illustrate intentional love—Ruth’s care for Naomi, Jacob’s devotion to Rachel, and Jesus’ command to love even our enemies (Ruth 1:16; Genesis 29:18; Luke 6:27–28).
Love is expressed through actions like patience, kindness, protection, and perseverance, reflecting God’s character and pointing others to Him (1 Corinthians 13:4–7; John 13:34–35). Loving others does not mean excusing wrongdoing but acting for another’s good. This might look like praying for and guiding those who hurt us (Romans 12:20–21). It might look like doing kind things for them. God’s love for us empowers us through His Spirit to choose love this way, following His grace and forgiveness as the example for how we should love others (1 Peter 3:9; Titus 2:11). When we choose to love, even in difficult circumstances, we reflect God’s heart to a world that desperately needs His love and truth.
God’s love toward us changes everything. From the beginning God desired to bless the entire world (Genesis 12:1–3). Jesus came, fully God and fully man, lived a perfect life, and willingly gave His life so we could be forgiven and reconciled to God. He rose again conquering sin and death. He extends this love and salvation to all (1 Peter 3:9; Titus 2:11; 1 Timothy 2:3–4). How can we, who have been loved and forgiven much, determine who we will love and who we will not?
Loving others does not mean we condone everything someone does. Nor does it mean we excuse wrongdoing. Loving others means acting for the good of another at all times. That might mean praying for those who have done us wrong, speaking truth in love to guide them, or showing kindness even when it’s undeserved (Matthew 5:44; Romans 12:20–21). Doing these things changes our hearts and allows us to honor God in all we do.
Love is a choice that points others to God. It is not based on our own feelings or judgments. It requires intentionality, patience, and reliance on the Holy Spirit to act in ways that reflect God, even when it is difficult. When we live and love in this way, we reveal His heart to a world that desperately needs His love.