1 John 4:7
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
One of the greatest ways any believer can be like Christ is in our love for others. One of the great pleas of God is that His people love one another. God did not say that we are to love one another if they do everything as we do it. God did not say that we are to love one another when we like them. God did not say that we are to love one another when we only agree with them. God did not say that we are to love one another when we like how they treat us. Rather, God said we are to love one another in their present condition. However, we cannot love one another without God’s help, for love is of God. There are several things that the love of God does and does not do that I would like to share with you.
First, love doesn’t attack one another. We say we are like God, but show me one time that God attacked His own when He saw their shortcomings. Yes, God may have chastened His own, but He never attacked His own. I wonder what God thinks about believers attacking one another on social media when His command is to love one another. I wonder what God feels about brethren in the same church attacking each other because we don't like someone. If you are to be like Christ and love others, you will find that it will never be in you to attack another brother because you don't like them or how they do things.
Second, love overlooks the weaknesses of the other. When God loved us, He did not love us because we were perfect, but He loved us with our weaknesses. You will never be like Christ if you expect only to love people in their strengths. Love will love people despite their weaknesses. Love will see the weaknesses of others and say that it must love someone so they can be stronger. If we only love people when they are strong, then we do not truly love them. Love loves someone in their strengths and in their weaknesses. Love will overlook the weakness of another so it can love them and help them become what they are supposed to be in Christ.
Third, love doesn’t expect the other to be like us. When God loved us, He wanted us to be like Him but He understood that we would never be exactly like Him. You will never love people properly if you only love them when they are exactly like you. You must stop putting up your requirements for people to dot their “i’s” and cross their “t’s” like you in order for you to love them. Nobody will ever be like you, and there are times when they will be the opposite of you, but true love loves despite them not being like us.
Fourth, love loves one at their worst. The greatest test of whether you have the love of God in you is if you love people when they are at their worst. There is no such thing as an unloveable person when you have the love of God dwelling in you. God’s love sees people at their worst and realizes that the only thing that will help them is His love. You will never make an impact on people until you love as God loves, and that is loving them at their worst.
Fifth, love loves without expecting love in return. God loved us so much that He sent His Son to die for us, realizing that we may never love Him in return. My friend, the love of God dwelling in you will say, “I love them even if they don't love me.” If you are going to love one another, you must be willing to love others even if they don't love you in return.
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