There is a picture on our fireplace mantle. My husband has his arm around our son, and he is looking at him with all the love of a father. Our son is looking back at his dad with eyes full of respect and admiration. There are words on this photo that read “like father, like son.”
This image could easily be the image of Christ with one of us. Whether “like son or daughter,” we are created in God’s image.
So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
Gen 1:27
God looks at each of us with love in his eyes and in his heart. He loves us so much, “He gave His one and only Son” for us (John 3:16). Is there anyone in your life for whom you would willingly sacrifice your child (niece or nephew if you don’t have children of your own?) There is no one whom I love enough that I would send my son to die a horrible death on a cross. Yet this exactly what God did. Jesus didn’t die for some of us. He didn’t die just for those who only have a few sins or those whose sins aren’t not that bad. He died for all of us!
For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son,
so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16
There is what you could call a catch to this. God commands us, His children, to love our enemies. The second greatest commandment we are given is found in the book of Mark 12:31 NLT
The second is equally important; Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.
Why does God command us to love our neighbors? Our neighbors may do things we don’t like or have different views than us on a variety of subjects. They may do things we believe are wrong or find offensive. They may do things that hurt us or others. Regardless, they are still God’s children and He loves them too. So, God commands us to love them because on our own, we would not do so.
Just for today, show to everyone, the same love God shows to you.
– PSG –
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