Loving Like Jesus: What It Really Means to Show Christlike Love
In a world full of brokenness, betrayal, and selfish ambition, love often feels transactional, something we give when we get something back. But Jesus introduced a different kind of love. A love that serves.
This is agape love, unconditional, selfless, and deeply transformative.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” – John 13:34-35
What Is Agape Love?
Agape is not the kind of love you see in romantic movies. It’s not based on feelings, attraction, or convenience. Agape is a decision, a commitment to love even when it’s hard, inconvenient, or undeserved.
It’s the love Jesus showed when He:
- Washed the feet of the very people who would deny and betray Him.
- Healed the sick and fed the hungry without asking for anything in return.
- Died on the cross for those who rejected Him.
This is the kind of love we are called to show in our daily lives, not just to people we like, but also to those who hurt, ignore, or misunderstand us.
What Christlike Love Looks Like in Real Life
You don’t need a pulpit to love like Jesus. Here are real, everyday ways to walk in agape love:
1. Forgive When It’s Easier to Stay Bitter
That friend who betrayed you? The parent who abandoned you? Christlike love forgives, not because they deserve it, but because you’ve been forgiven too.
2. Share Even When You Don’t Have Much
Love looks like giving someone your last plate of ugali or inviting a struggling neighbor for chai. Agape love doesn’t wait for abundance to be generous.
3. Be Present for the Forgotten
Call that friend who went silent after losing a job. Visit someone who’s sick, even if you don’t know what to say. Showing up matters more than having perfect words.
4. Speak Life, Not Judgment
When someone falls into sin or makes bad choices, love corrects with compassion, not condemnation. Remember how Jesus spoke to the woman caught in adultery; with truth and grace.
5. Serve Without Expecting Praise
Maybe it’s cleaning the church, cooking at a children’s home, or giving free tutoring to students. When you serve quietly, you’re walking in the footsteps of Jesus.
Why It’s So Hard And Why It’s Still Worth It
Let’s be real: loving like Jesus is not natural. Our flesh wants revenge, pride, and recognition. But Christlike love is a supernatural act of obedience. And when we practice it, we don’t just bless others, we become transformed ourselves.
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” – John 13:35
In a society filled with corruption, tribalism, gossip, and judgment, love is radical. It stands out. It breaks cycles. It heals.
How to Grow in Christlike Love
- Pray daily for the grace to love like Jesus even when it’s hard.
- Read scripture to understand how Christ loved in every situation.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to soften your heart and show you who needs love today.
- Practice love intentionally even in small ways.
Love Is Our Identity
If we say we follow Jesus, love isn’t optional. It’s our identity. Our greatest witness is not how loudly we preach but how deeply we love.
So let’s be known, not for how many verses we quote or how long we pray, but for how we treat people when no one is watching. That’s what it means to love like Jesus.
Daraja la Amani 