God's love is extravagant and awesome. As you encounter God's love, you’ll want to share it with others. Everyone who follows Jesus is meant to share the love of God with others. Sharing God’s love is the joy and the privilege of all who follow Christ. God's love in the Bible is clear, and as Christians, we get to share God’s love daily and follow in the ways of our Savior.
Every person you meet is loved by God and is someone Jesus died for. Everyone you encounter throughout the day - strangers, acquaintances, friends, family - can experience God’s love through you! Every day, we have the opportunity to show God’s love to others. In this blog, we'll dive deep into the love of God and teach you how to show God's love to others. Our 5 simple ways to show God's love to others are to:
1. Practice Empathy by Listening
2. Offer Help & Generosity
3. Give Encouraging & Kind Words
4. Show Compassion through Acts of Kindness:
5. Pray for Others
God’s Love in the Bible: Did God Love Everyone?
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” -John 13:34-35
Spoiler alert, yes! God's love in the Bible is for everyone, everywhere. God commands us to love one another in response to God's love. Love is supposed to be the defining characteristic of our lives as Christians, and showing the love of Jesus practically is one of the ways we do that. Has that been your experience? Is that how you would describe yourself - as loving to others?
Some people are naturally loving, but that’s not always the case. Some people aren’t naturally compassionate or people-focused. God has created us each uniquely, but we are all commanded to love.
Practice Empathy by Listening
In today’s culture, it seems like so many voices are speaking (and often shouting), but showing God's love through listening is essential to being a Christian. While social media and cell phones have increased communication, it has also given us the false appearance of true connection and real relationships. In fact, Generation Z, who are the most “connected,” are also considered the loneliest generation, and they are in need of God's love.
It is rare for people to feel truly heard. Thankfully, we can change this and show God’s love to others by listening well! When we slow down, ask questions, and really listen to people, the love of God is shown through us. Godly love can look like listening to understand, not just preparing your response. Allow people to speak their minds without interruption or judgment. People will feel valued (and loved!) when they are heard and understood. One of the easiest ways to do this is through a process called active listening. Watch this one-minute Active Listening video to see how you can love others by listening in real time.
Offer Help & Generosity
Sometimes sharing the love of God is as simple as being generous like God. Can you think of a time in your life when someone showed you such generosity that you still think, “Wow, I can’t believe they did that for me?”
Maybe it was a gift of their time when you needed someone. Maybe it was a financially generous gift. Perhaps they shared kind words or stood up for you in a difficult time. How did that moment make you feel?
You probably felt the love of God! You felt seen. You felt valued to the point that you still remember that act of generosity. And as we grow in the ways of Jesus, we become like Him, showing God's love through generosity. Since Jesus is the most generous person in history, we can love like God in this way. Here are some Bible verses about showing the love of Jesus by being generous like God:
A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. - Proverbs 11:25
Godly love often looks like Godly generosity. The love of God isn't scarce -- there is always enough. As we learn to share the love of God through generosity, we are refreshed, too!
And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive. - Acts 20:35
When you show someone God's love, you are being generous to them. That loving characteristic comes from God! After all, John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave…”He loved, so He gave. When we show the love of God to our spouse, children, and friends, we are giving to them. God's love is a generous kind of love.
Of course, people think of money when talking about generosity, and that is one aspect of generosity. But, how can you also be generous with your time, talents, and your voice? Who can you invest some time in, either by helping them with a practical need or some quality time? What special skills or talents can you provide? Who can you advocate for or encourage with the love of God?
Give Encouraging & Kind Words
Everyone we meet is carrying some kind of burden. Even the most “put-together” people have something weighing them down. Just because someone carries it well doesn’t mean it’s not heavy. Everyone needs the love of God. How can we help lift someone’s burdens? It can be as simple as words of encouragement. When we do this, we can help carry the heavy load of life and love others by being encouraging.
The word “encourage” comes from an Old French word that means to “make strong.” When we encourage one another, we are making their spirits strong and sharing the love of God. We are strengthening their hope, faith, and resolve to keep going.
In the New Testament, we meet Barnabas, a Christian in the early church known for his incredible and consistent encouragement. You can read about Barnabas and how he shared to love of God in the Book of Acts:
News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. - Acts 11: 22-24
Just like Baranabas, we encourage you: don’t hesitate to speak life-giving words into someone’s circumstances. God’s love in the Bible often looks like encouragement and kind words. Encouragement can’t hurt, and it most certainly can help someone gain strength in their life!
Show Compassion through Acts of Kindness
God’s love in the Bible often looks like showing compassion through acts of kindness. Showing kindness is simple: it means thinking about someone else more than you think about yourself. What are their needs? What would make their lives better? How can I show them the love of God with kindness?
Showing God’s love through acts of kindness doesn’t have to be huge; it just needs to be thoughtful. Godly love is consistent and patient. Being thoughtful and kind communicates to the other person that you value their needs above your own.
1 Corinthians 13:5 tells us that Godly love in the Bible “is not self-seeking.” Practice being others-focused. Show God’s love with acts of kindness. Looking for ideas? Here’s a huge list of Acts of Kindness.
Pray for Others
One of the best ways to show God’s love to others is to pray for people. You can pray for them in your own time with God, or you can pray for people, in the moment, when you’re with them.
One of the easiest ways to show the love of God is to pray with someone right then and there. In any conversation, at any time, show God’s love by asking, "How can I pray for you?" If someone mentions they're sick, stressed, or excited, simply ask, "Can I pray for you?" And then pray with them. Show them Godly love as you genuinely pray for their needs or thank God for their good news. As you grow in courage and make a habit out of praying for others, you’ll see how God works through those simple moments of prayer!
We have collectively done this hundreds of times and have countless stories of people overcome with appreciation, love, and genuine heart change. It’s also a great way to open up a conversation about faith.
Related Post: 7 Truths the Bible Teaches About Love
5 Bible Verses About God’s Love
Did you know Psalm 136 tells us about the love of God? In this Psalm, it says that “His love endures forever” 26 times!
When scriptures on God’s love say that His love endures forever, the Bible is declaring a truth that goes beyond our current circumstances. It's a promise that we can cling to in difficult times. Here are five Bible verses about the love of God that show us God’s love in the Bible.
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. - Ephesians 2:4-5
When talking about God’s love in the Bible, verses like this one remind us that His love doesn't depend on our worthiness or our ability to reciprocate. We were dead in our transgressions, but Christ made us alive. Isn’t that good news? The love of God is able to cover our sin!
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. - Romans 5:8
This scripture about God's love in the Bible is a reminder about the power of Jesus’s sacrifice for us. The love of God is not based on our goodness. In fact, it's quite the opposite. While we were still sinners, while we were still far from God, Christ died for us. That's how amazing the love of God is for all!
We love because he first loved us. - 1 John 4:19
God's love in the Bible always shows us that God loved us first. Ever heard the story of the Prodigal Son? It's a parable that Jesus told when He was on the earth. He told his disciples about how God's love is like a father who loves His son, despite his bad behavior. The love of God chose us before we were born, and the love of God is pursuing us even when we make mistakes. All we have to do is receive God's love.
Learn more about receiving the love of God and how to surrender your life to Jesus in our blog: This is For You
A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land. - Psalm 68:5-6
God’s love is so good. God is a faithful Father who is with us, no matter what we’re going through. This verse about God’s love in the Bible comes from Psalm 68. He provides for the lonely by putting them in families. As followers of Jesus, we can show the love of God to others by loving widows, orphans, and the lonely. Scripture says that “pure and undefiled religion” is to take care of the least of these. See James 1:27
Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you. - Isaiah 54:10
Scriptures about God’s love in the Bible tell us that His love is unfailing. This is good news when things feel overwhelming and tough. God's love is like an anchor in a big storm. We can always find peace, calm, and refuge in his love.
For more scriptures about the love of God: 10 Bible Verses About God’s Love for You
An Encouragement to Share the Love of God with Everyone
God’s Love is for everyone. Does that mean your combative neighbor? Yes. Your estranged sibling? Yep. Your micro-managing boss? Yes, it includes them, too. God loves each of them, individually, so much that He sent His son, Jesus, to die for them. Everyone we encounter is someone that God loves and Jesus died for, even difficult people.
Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, not a select few. He died for our sins without conditions. In fact, He suffered and died knowing the world rejected Him, and we continue to reject Him daily when we fall short. Yet He loved us enough to take our place.
This is what God’s love is all about! It is love with no strings attached. His love expects nothing in return. Pure, sacrificial love.
When we show this kind of love, we are showing God’s love. It’s His love shining through us. If it seems difficult to muster up your own love for someone, focus on the fact that you are being a conduit for God’s love to flow through. It’s not by your own strength, but through God’s. This is how you show God’s love to others even when it seems difficult.
Related Story: Trisha Aumann Story
Conclusion
God's love is unconditional and unearned. You can't perform your way to get more of God's love. Because Jesus made a sacrifice that was one and for all (John 3:16), this eternal and everlasting love is available to anyone who wants it! The love of God is compassionate, forgiving, and good, all the time. In today’s world full of pain and conflict, sharing the love of God with others is a gift. It’s worth stepping out of our comfort zones, maybe taking a small risk, and stepping out in faith to tell others about God’s love.
How can you show God’s love to someone today?
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