How to Love as Jesus Loved

How to Love as Jesus Loved (1686)The greatest need of mankind is to love and to be loved. Yet, it’s getting harder to do so than ever before. As Christians, we have been instructed to love as Jesus loved.John 13:34 says, "A new commandment I give unto you that ye love one another as I have loved you that ye also love one another." This commandment is easy to consider for those who are easy to love… but what about the ones who have hurt us, misused us or wronged us?Not only was Jesus the great teacher, He was the great example.As Jesus gave this commandment, He washed His disciples’ feet: a timely custom performed by slaves. He washed Judas’s feet, who would later betray Him. He washed Peter’s feet, the disciple who would later deny Him. And He washed Thomas’s feet, who would later doubt Him.Here is the Lord of glory doing slave labor… unto the very people who would let Him down.By doing this, He exemplified selfless love. He exemplified humility. Adrian Rogers says, “Real humility is not thinking lowly of yourself; it is not thinking of yourself.” God the Father had put everything into Jesus’ hands, yet he laid aside his garments, took a towel and washed fishermen’s feet.Jesus also exemplified steadfast love; He loves unto the end. If you want to love as Jesus loves, you’ll never stop. We love sometimes, but we only do so when everything is just right. Under pressure, we excuse ourselves from it. But even the unsaved can love that way! Adrian Rogers says, “Your character that cannot stand up under pressure and under testing is not real.”Jesus exemplified serving love. He met injury with service. Love does not give people what they deserve; it gives people what they need. Love is willing to serve at the lowest of tasks.Jesus exemplified sanctifying love.Those of us who are saved walk in a dirty world. Sometimes, we need to let Jesus wash our feet, to remind us of His love. Then, we may go and wash the feet of others.Apply it to your lifeAre you willing to love others with a selfless, steadfast, serving and sanctifying love? As Adrian Rogers says, “Find somebody that needs that love and give it to them.”