Jesus never called us to live an ordinary life. He didn’t gather His disciples and say, “Just blend in. Love the ones who are easy, be kind to those who are kind to you, and call it a day.”
No! He raised the bar!
Jesus said, “If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even tax collectors do the same?” (Matthew 5:46).
It’s easy to love those who treat us well. We are drawn toward people who share our interests, make us laugh, and show us kindness. But what about the difficult ones—the ones who ignore us, frustrate us, or even hurt us? Jesus says love them too. Why? Because that’s how God loves us.
Imagine if God only loved the lovable. Where would that leave us on our worst days? When we fail, when we sin, when we fall short—God’s love remains. He loves us not because we deserve it, but because that’s who He is. He calls us to love others in the same way.
Loving beyond convenience, beyond comfort, beyond what comes naturally—that’s where Christian love is lived out. That’s where and when we reflect Christ. The world expects conditional love, but we serve a God who offers unconditional love.
Ask yourself: Who in my life is hard to love? Then, love them anyway. Not because they’ve earned it, but because Jesus loved you first.
I’m Lonnie Davis, and these are thoughts worth thinking.