LOVING GOD AND LOVING PEOPLE
Greg Robinson
Today's Scripture: “And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:39, ESV
Theme: As followers of Jesus, the second most important thing we are called to do is love others unconditionally.
LOVING OTHERS REFLECTS GOD’S CHARACTER
My mother is 88 years old. She was married to my father for 60 years, and they shared a beautiful life together. When my father became ill with dementia, a live-in caretaker was hired full time to care for him. Over the years, this man became part of our family and was with us as we sang my father’s favorite Gospel song while he took his final breath. My mother invited my father’s caretaker to continue living there to help her with things around the house and drive her to the grocery store, doctors' appointments, restaurants, and many other places.
About two years ago and unexpectedly, her caretaker became the guardian of his two granddaughters. My mother eagerly opened her home to his five- and six-year-old granddaughters. She loves those girls unconditionally, and I see in their smiles and their zeal for life that they feel loved and cared for. At 88 years old, my mother’s unselfish generosity is an authentic reflection of God’s character when it comes to loving others.
LOVING OTHERS COMPASSIONATELY
Another example of loving your neighbor as yourself is what I have witnessed in my wife, Nanette. Nanette has been an interior designer and stager for many years in the Lake Norman area. During that time, I have watched her compassionately come alongside people in need who could not afford her services.
One instance involved a family who had experienced an unthinkable tragedy in their home. In their grief, they wanted to move out of the home, but the house was in disrepair and unsellable for the price they needed. Nanette prayed with them, arranged for contractors to come in at a reasonable price, and managed the renovation while crying, laughing, and walking with them through the entire project. In the end, the couple felt so much love and support throughout the process that they chose to remain in their home. The love of those who came alongside this couple, in many cases for no money, helped them overcome their sadness, depression, and fear. This is a practical example of the compassionate, generous love that God calls us to extend to others.
LOVING OTHERS HONESTLY
Loving others does not mean we ignore wrongdoing just to keep the peace; it requires honesty. Jesus loves us perfectly, yet He spoke truth, occasionally displayed righteous anger, and admonished sin and wrongdoing. God calls us to love people unconditionally, but with grace, truth, and wisdom. Loving our neighbors should reflect God’s merciful love while standing firmly on what is right.
Make It Personal: Recently, Eric Church, the legendary country music singer from North Carolina, gave a commencement speech to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s graduating class of 2026. It was an amazing speech that became a social media sensation. In full disclosure, you might not enjoy it as much if you are a Duke or NC State fan. In his commencement speech, he compares a balanced life, lived well, to a well-tuned guitar with all six strings in tune. Tuned perfectly, the chords they make are beautiful; yet if even one string is out of tune, the whole chord unravels and the sound becomes unpleasant. Five of the strings—E, A, D, G, and E—represent five important areas in our lives: faith, family, choosing the right spouse, answering God’s call on your life, and being authentic. The B string, not previously mentioned, represents the importance of loving others. This string has a rich, warm, and honest tone.
In this age of the internet, AI, and social media, truly knowing people and understanding the needs in our communities can be more difficult than ever before. Yet Jesus still calls us to notice others, care for them, and love them as we love ourselves. When we live with that kind of compassion, generosity, and truth, the tone of our Christian walk becomes richer, warmer, honest and more beautiful.
Pray: Father, teach me to love others the way You love me. Fill my heart with kindness, generosity, patience, grace, and wisdom. Help me show compassion without compromising truth. Give me the strength to reflect Jesus in my words and actions each day. In Jesus’ Name I pray, amen.
Read: John 13:34–35; 1 John 4:7–12
Weekly Memory Verse: “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35, ESV