To live like Jesus, we love like Jesus. We love God, but we also love each other.

Who is each other?

This is different from loving society or people  in general. It’s loving the ones who are closest to you.

In this sense, John (John 4:7-12) is referring to the people you are with every day. Your family. Your church family. Your friends.

Your inner circle.

It’s easy to love those closest, right?

But it’s also easy to abuse those closest. To trample them. To take advantage. To say words that you wish you could take back, or because their family you just assume they’ll understand you didn’t really mean them.

To ignore them. To get angry with them. To become frustrated. To lose your cool.

To live like Jesus, we love each other like Jesus.

Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. 1 John 4:11-12 (NLT)

Can we really live like Jesus?

If it means that we treat the people we love like the gift that they are, then yes.

If it means that we apologize when we fail, then yes.

If it means that we believe in our children when they struggle to believe in themselves, then yes.

If it means that we teach and encourage instead of berate and punish, then yes.

If it means that we turn to God in our marriage when it’s tricky, then the answer is yes.

How can you live like Jesus as you love those closest to you today?

What does that look like in real life? In your life?