We all want to be loved. Being loved is critical to our wellbeing and overall health. In his classic book, Overcoming Rejection, Frank Hammond writes, Each of us requires love. love is necessary for the development of a healthy "self life." Love is to us what sunshine and water are to a growing flower." The first time I read this, I thought about my planting and gardening skills. I have to admit that I don't know how to garden well. My husband is convinced that plants tremble when I walk by them. Humor aside, we call agree that we need to be loved and learn to love others well. But the reality is loving others can be challenging at times, especially when people are hard to love.
Also, loving others well can be hard because maybe we didn’t have a good example or experience growing up and have difficulty giving and receiving love. So how do we learn to love well? The talk shows and movies tell us to love ourselves and then we will love others well. But is that really the answer? But after 37 years of marriage, and studying the Bible, I have found that the secret to loving well isn’t learning to love yourself first; it’s learning to love God and be loved by God first. When it comes to loving others, it all starts with the One who is love. Jesus told His disciples, “This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you” John 13:34–35 The key to loving well is being loved by God.
Over the next few weeks, we will look at how Jesus loved us, and how we can learn to love others well.
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