Love God and Others Like Jesus

Scripture

 Matthew 22:37–39 (KJV)

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Reflection

You would think love would come naturally—an easy, instinctive part of being human. But the truth is, it doesn’t always flow the way it should. Over and over in Scripture, we’re urged to love—not just to feel it, but to live it out. Love God. Love one another. And the fact that it’s repeated so often tells me this is something we often fall short in.

Our love for each other reflects our love for Christ.

“If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?”
— 1 John 4:20 (KJV)

That verse has always stopped me in my tracks. Because if I’m honest, some days my love is tested. By my neighbors. My friends. My family. There are times I feel irritable, impatient, or simply too caught up in my own world. And yet love—true, Christ-like love—is more than lip service. It goes beyond the casual "Love you" we toss out without thinking. It shows up in how we care, how we serve, how we speak, and how we forgive.

There are moments I’ve had to pause and ask myself:
Am I treating others in a loving way?
Am I quick to snap, or do I carry irritation in my tone?
Do I overlook people because I’m absorbed in my own stress or schedule?

The love Jesus spoke of is active. It doesn’t wait until we feel like it. He modeled it with His life—laying it down, reaching the outcast, correcting with gentleness, feeding the hungry, washing feet. That kind of love makes people take notice. It shines in dark places. It reflects the heart of the One we follow.

So today, let’s take that exhortation seriously. Loving God and others isn’t optional—it’s foundational. And if Jesus said this was the first and great commandment, maybe it deserves our first and greatest attention, too.