What Does Love Look Like? Do You Know How to Answer the Question?
What does love look like?
John wrote…
God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. John 1:17
This is how we know what real love is: Jesus gave His life for us. 1 John 3:16a
What does love look like?
Love looks like Jesus.
You and I find out the specifics of real love when we get to know Jesus, who told us to…
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.” Mark 12:30
“Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 19:19
“Love your enemies.” Matthew 5:44
Based on Jesus’ life we can know that love looks like…
Truth – Jesus spoke the truth. God’s truth.
Kindness – Jesus cared for those in need.
Forgiveness – Jesus forgave sins.
Respect – Jesus showed respect to everyone.
Compassion – Jesus was compassionate to the hurting and suffering.
Jesus loved us all by suffering our punishment and make it possible for us to be saved eternally.
Love looks like Jesus!
And you and I are commanded to love like Jesus.
“This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.” John 15:12
But if you’re thinking . . . that’s hard! No, it’s impossible. I can’t love like Jesus. He is the perfect Son of God. Remember that although it’s true, we can’t love perfectly, with Holy Spirit’s help we refuse to give up. Every day we get up and do our best to love like Jesus.
With repentance.
Without excuses.
With forgiveness.
With fresh starts.
And with intentional kindness, compassion, forgiveness, humility, gentleness, respect, and truth.
Why did Jesus tell us to love like He loves . . . even though He knew we’d fail to do it perfectly? Because Jesus’ love changes the world.
“Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
John 13:35
And Paul gave us some additional specifics of what Jesus’ love looks like…
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
1 Corinthians 13:4–7
If you’re like me, these verses make you feel guilty. I can think of countless times when I’ve stubbornly wanted my way, haven’t been patient or kind, and times when I’ve been irritable and prideful.
Praise God! Paul was also inspired to write…
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in His grace, freely makes us right in His sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty for our sins.
Romans 3:23–24
What does love look like? Love looks like Jesus!
Let’s pause to pray and thank God for sending Jesus to show us His love and let’s ask Him to help us be living examples of the love that is able to change our lives and the world around us.
A Prayer Thanking God
What Does Love Look Like?
It Looks like Jesus!
Father, thank you for Jesus who showed us Your love. Your Word tells us that You are love. (1 John 4:16) Jesus revealed You and Your love to us. (John 1:18) And because of Jesus’ self-sacrificial love, Your Word says that when we place our faith and trust in Him there is nothing that can separate us from Your love. (Romans 8:39)
Jesus commanded us to love others the same way He loves us. (John 15:12) Oh, how we fall short . . . how I fall short. I’m so sorry. Please forgive us . . . forgive me. I want to love the way You command. I want to show people Your love.
Father, I believe Your love has the power to change lives and that through changed lives Your love is able to change the world. Oh, how we need to change. Our culture celebrates power, prosperity, and popularity. . . all fragile and temporary. You created us to love You and to love one another. You did so because You knew that is the only way for us to experience lasting peace and joy.
I love You. Please help me. Through Your Spirit, please give me everything I need to love like Jesus. Make me trustworthy, kind, caring, forgiving, respectful, and compassionate. Make me like Jesus in whose name I pray. Amen.
The truth is, God’s love goes against our sinful human nature but with God’s help you and I can experience the miraculous power of His love . . . the power that is able to change lives and the world at large.
So, may we remember how to answer the question…
What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has ears to hear the sorrows and sighs of men. That is what love looks like. ~St. Augustine
Love looks like Jesus.
May He fill you with His love and bless you with peace and joy!
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Oh God, I pray that this world love like you. I often hear people say love don’t pay the bills and as I grow in the knowledge of God, I realize that love indeed pays the bill if it had not been for Jesus who paid our sin tab with his love, where would we be? So I beg to differ, Love pays all our bills.
Thank you my Master and King for paying my bill with your love.
Amen, Vernetta! Love has paid all our bills! Bills that we could never pay on our own. Thanks for visiting and for adding this to the conversation! God bless you!
Love always, always looks like Jesus! May we be humble and ask God’s help in trying to love others as He has loved us.
Blessings, Deb!
So true, Martha! We need to humble ourselves and offer ourselves as a sacrifice to the Lord so that He might love others through us. Blessings!
May God the Father open our hearts, that we might love as Jesus loved. Blessings Deb x
Amen, Angela! May God be with you and bless you!
Deb, this is so precious. I know only with the Holy Spirit’s help can I love like Jesus so Thank you for your beautiful prayer.
Thank you, Deborah! I am always blessed by your visits and comments. God bless you!
Yes, Jesus, the Heavenly Father is Love. It really pains my heart the way people exploit God’s love for their sins, while they continue merrily in their sinful ways.
I agree Vernetta, God’s Love indeed pays the bill. Not only our spiritual “bill”, but even the temporal ones. By His grace, I have a job. Due to His faithfulness, I can pay my bills. And because of His overflowing love and blessings, all our needs are met beyond words. Indeed, His Love is more than sufficient. My prayer is that I could love Him back with the same desire, same fire, from all of my heart and soul. Blessings to all ????????
What a beautiful comment and prayer, Gaby. Thanks for adding this. Blessings!
Grateful I’m a part of this community.
I’m so glad you’re here, Vernetta. God bless you!