Hey friends, let’s take a minute to talk about something that’s at the very heart of what it means to follow Jesus: loving people. Like, *all* people. No exceptions, no asterisks, no fine print. It doesn’t matter who they are, where they’ve been, or what their life looks like. Love isn’t a selective thing—it’s a *Jesus* thing. And if we’re gonna call ourselves His people, then we’ve gotta love like He did. Period.
Let’s be real for a second: we all fall short. Every single one of us. Romans 3:23 doesn’t mince words: *“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”* That’s not just a verse for “other people.” It’s for *us.* It’s a reminder that none of us have it all together, and that’s okay. Jesus didn’t come for the perfect people; He came for the messy, broken, and imperfect ones. That’s all of us, y’all.
And here’s the kicker: Jesus didn’t hold people’s pasts against them. Like, ever. Think about the woman caught in adultery in John 8. The religious leaders were ready to stone her, but Jesus? He knelt down, wrote in the dirt, and said, *“Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”* Mic drop. When everyone walked away, He told her, *“Neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.”* He didn’t ignore her choices, but He also didn’t define her by them. He saw her. He loved her. And He gave her a fresh start.
Or how about the Old Testament? In Isaiah 1:18, God says, *“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”* That’s a promise of grace, not judgment. It’s a reminder that no matter how far we’ve wandered, God’s love is bigger. His mercy is deeper. And His arms are always open.
Here’s the thing: loving people doesn’t mean we agree with everything they do. It doesn’t mean we ignore sin or pretend it doesn’t exist. But it *does* mean we treat people with kindness, respect, and dignity—because that’s exactly how Jesus treats us. 1 John 4:7-8 puts it like this: *“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”* Boom. If we’re not loving people, we’re missing the point.
So let’s be the kind of people who love like Jesus. The kind who see the best in others, even when it’s hard. The kind who offer grace instead of judgment, and hope instead of condemnation. Because here’s the truth: we’re all a work in progress. And the same grace that covers us? It’s big enough to cover everyone else too.
Let’s love big, friends. Let’s love like Jesus. 💛
