From the beginning we were commanded to love each other. Love means that we live by doing what he commands. We were commanded to live in love, and you have heard this from the beginning.
2 John 5–6
The early commentary writer Jerome tells a story about the apostle John in his old age speaking to a crowd and only repeating these five words: “Little children, love one another.” When the people got tired of hearing the same thing over and over again, they said to him, “Master, why do you always say this?” The old apostle said, “Because it is the Lord’s command, and if only this is done, it is enough.” John, the apostle of love, knew what was needed. But love is a big word, and how do you know if you have it?
Love isn’t a gushy feeling that you get from your feelings or your hormones. It’s not the feeling of contentment you get when you are with someone who loves you back. According to God’s Word, it’s something totally different: it’s doing what God tells you to do. Not what you thought love was? I know, it seems like something totally different, but did you read 2 John 6? “Love means that we live by doing what he commands.” Love calls you out of yourself and into a life of caring and concern for others. You have to get this idea. You can’t love the way the world loves and call it good. You have to look at God’s Word for the whole truth about love and know what it means for how you treat others.
How do you know if you are loving someone? You are loving if you are doing what God tells you to do in relationship to them. Then and only then can you be sure that you are truly loving the way you were meant to love. That means that if you want to love well, then you’ve got to dig into God’s Word and learn what he’s asking of you. Study his thoughts on relationships and loving. Learn what true love is and then offer it to the world, regardless of whether or not they ever offer it back.