The Unconditional Call to Love
As followers of Jesus, we’re called to imitate His actions, just as a child mimics their parent’s behavior. But what does this look like in practical terms? The answer lies in Ephesians, where we’re instructed to “walk in love.” This simple phrase holds profound implications for our daily lives.
Defining Love
So, what is love? It’s not just a feeling or an emotion; it’s an action that requires effort and sacrifice. Love gives freely of its time, attention, and resources. It puts the needs of others before our own interests, wants, and desires. As John so eloquently puts it, “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:10).
Loving the Unlovable
But here’s the challenging part: we’re not just called to love those who are nice, friendly, or likable. We’re commanded to love the dirty, the unattractive, and the needy. We’re even called to love those who are greedy, ungrateful, and adversarial. Why? Because that’s who we once were. As Paul reminds us, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
Putting Others First
To walk in love is to put others ahead of ourselves every day. We don’t do it because they deserve our love; we do it because Jesus first loved us. As John writes, “Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4:11). This is the uncomfortable truth about love: it requires us to be selfless, to sacrifice our own interests, and to put others before ourselves.
A Higher Standard
The call to walk in love is a high standard, one that we can’t achieve on our own. But with God’s help, we can learn to love like Jesus loves us. We can learn to put others first, to sacrifice our own desires, and to love those who may not deserve it. As we strive to follow Jesus’ example, we’ll discover that love is not just a feeling, but a choice – a choice to put others before ourselves, just as Jesus did for us.
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