The Love Everybody WantsSample

“The Love Everybody Wants”

John 3:16 is the most famous Bible verse. Most of us have heard that verse many times and some of us can recite it in our sleep. But can you recite 1 John 3:16? This one doesn’t seem to be as popular. Yet it is the second greatest commandment Jesus gave us. I don’t think it is a coincidence that John 3:16 describes the love our God has for us and 1 John 3:16 describes how we ought to love one another.

In this verse we see the radical call of what it looks like to know and follow Jesus. Jesus gives unconditional love for us, even to the point of death. And he calls his followers to give unconditional love for each other, even to the point of death. Most of us want an unconditional, radical love, yet most of us aren’t willing to lay down our lives to get it.

It makes sense why we all desire love and relationships. We were made from love, for love. Yet the relationships we choose matter. Are you seeking relationships that push you closer to Jesus and your purpose? Are you being the kind of person offering that to others?

There is a lot I tackle in my book The Love Everybody Wants—redefining true love, learning to love ourselves and how to navigate loving others well in a godly way in waiting seasons; dealing with rejection, heartbreak, and shame; learning how to build strong identity, faith, relationships; and a lot more. We’re all looking for the same kind of love. But my goal is to show you that the love everybody wants is already ours.

God’s commandments to us in Matthew 22:34–40 are clear. The greatest commandments—the most important guides and safeguards you can have in place to preserve your life and future—are simple: Love God, love yourself, love others.

Reflect: Do I love like 1 John 3:16 calls me to love? Do I surround myself with others who love and live out of the overflow of God’s love?

Challenge: Use these three questions to evaluate the relationships in your life:

(1) Do they make me more like Jesus?

(2) Do they push me closer to Jesus?

(3) Do they help me make a difference for Jesus?

Then, use those three questions to evaluate yourself. Are you offering that kind of love to others?

Prayer: Lord, you have called me to love your church. The radical, unconditional love you have freely given me, I am now called to give to those around me. Help me love others in a way that honors you. And reveal to me the relationships in my life that do not honor you. Help me to walk in the way of love today. In Jesus’s name, amen.

We hope this plan encouraged you. Learn more about The Love Everybody Wants by Madison Prewett Troutt here.