Let Love Be Your Heartbeat: Learning to Love Like Jesus
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
— John 13:34–35 (NIV)
What kind of love turns heads, softens hearts, and makes the world stop and wonder?
The kind Jesus commanded in John 13 — not the fluffy, feel-good kind, but agapē love.
In ancient Greek, agapē means the deepest, most selfless kind of love — not based on feelings, but on commitment. Not about what’s easy, but what’s eternal. It’s the kind of love that kneels down with a towel and washes the feet of both friends and betrayers (John 13:4–11).
What Is Agapē Love?
Agapē love is the kind of love Jesus lived and called us to. It’s:
Selfless rather than selfish.
Rooted in action, not just emotion.
Eternal rather than temporary.
Just hours before going to the cross, Jesus told His disciples: Love like this.
This wasn’t a sentimental suggestion. It was a brand-new command meant to stretch across centuries, cultures, and continents (John 13:34).
How the World Recognizes Jesus in Us
Jesus didn’t say, “They’ll know you’re mine by your sermons or your social media posts.”
He said the world will know by your love.
The kind that:
Lives low.
Forgives fast.
Serves quietly.
This is the love that points people to Him.
5 Practical Ways to Love Like Jesus
1. Serve Someone Quietly
Just like in John 13:1–17, Jesus knew His time was short, yet He stooped to serve. He took on a servant’s role. We reflect Him when we do the same — no spotlight required, with hearts geared toward serving others.
2. Forgive Quickly
Even on the cross, Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them” (Luke 23:34 NIV). Bitterness builds walls; forgiveness breaks chains.
3. See with Compassion
“When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them” (Matthew 9:36). Ask the Spirit to help you see people through a Kingdom lens instead of your own.
4. Love Without Limits
It’s easy to love those who love us back — but Jesus challenged us to more:
“If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?” (Matthew 5:46 NIV). Real love crosses comfort zones.
5. Stay Spiritually Tethered
You can’t agapē on empty. Romans 5:5 reminds us that God’s love is poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. Make it a daily habit to invite Him to refill you.
Why We Need More Than a Bigger Heart
The truth is, we don’t just need a bigger heart — we need a holier one. Loving like Jesus isn’t about human effort but about Spirit-filled surrender.
And the good news? Jesus is still in the business of heartwork.
Let Love Be Your Heartbeat
Let this be our mission: to love like Jesus.
Because love like His is the reason:
Hearts turn.
Lives change.
Home is found in Him.
Meet the Author
Liezl Roux
Liezl is a South African-born Aussie, wife to the man of God she once prayed for, and mama to two Jesus-loving littles who keep her on her toes and on her knees. Somewhere between school runs, managing projects, and her household, she’s learning — again and again — who she is in Christ, and finding that grace shows up right in the mess.
Her greatest desire? That her words carry heaven’s breath—that, like the woman with the little jar of oil in 2 Kings 4, God would multiply what she offers in faith and obedience to overflow into the lives of many.
