How to Love Like Jesus Each Day by Seeing People Through God's Eyes
Let me ask you, has anyone ever frustrated you this week? Maybe a neighbor who just will not pick up after their dog or someone who cut you off in the parking lot after church. Or maybe it is closer to your heart. Maybe it is family. Or a person in your own community who just does not get it. I hear you. I've been there. But what if I told you that the very heartbeat of living on purpose is learning how to love like Jesus loves, even in these small, everyday moments?
In our recent podcast episode, my friend Michelle and I talked about what it really looks like to lead with grace and healthy boundaries. She had some stories about how loving people is not always easy (and that is the truth). But if we want to love like Jesus, we learn to see others the way God sees them. And that is what I want to talk about today. Because this is where real faith gets practical. This is how to love like Jesus, not just in theory, but in your real, messy, daily life.
What Does It Mean to See Others Through God's Eyes?
I remember when I first started noticing this in my own life. There were people who just rubbed me the wrong way. It felt easier to avoid them, write them off, or get caught up in my own story. But God kept whispering to my heart, "Can you see what I see in them?" That is where it starts for how to love like Jesus. We ask God to help us look past what annoys us and see the hearts He created with love and purpose.
Sometimes, this is as simple as pausing before we respond and asking, "Lord, how do You see this person?" Sometimes it means praying for patience when your temper is short. Sometimes it means listening, really listening, to someone else’s story instead of assuming you know everything. The more I practice this, the more I notice people’s fears, their needs, their longings beneath the surface. Suddenly, I do not just see the annoying habit or hard personality. I see someone made in the image of God, someone loved deeply, someone who maybe just needs a little compassion.
Why Is It So Hard to Love Like Jesus?
Let's be honest. Some days it feels impossible. It is not just that people can be prickly or difficult. Sometimes we are running on empty ourselves. Life gets busy. Our patience wears thin. That is why it matters to remember how to love like Jesus. He never loved from His own strength alone. He stayed connected to the Father. He noticed people on the margins. Even when people misunderstood Him, He stayed gentle and kind. I find that I can love best when I let God fill up my own heart first. That way, I am not trying to force it. It becomes a flow instead of a fight.
Biblical Wisdom for Loving Others Well
There is a passage that keeps coming up for me when I pray about this - "Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience" (Colossians 3:12, CSB). Notice the word “put on.” It is daily. Loving like Jesus is not an add-on. It is something we live out every day, on purpose. In traffic. In our churches. In our families. In our online communities.
Everyday Ways to Practice Loving Like Jesus
If you are wondering how to love like Jesus in your daily rhythms, here are a few simple things I am practicing (imperfectly, but intentionally):
- Praying for God to give me His perspective before reacting (especially when I am annoyed)
- Treating every person as someone worthy of grace, even when I disagree with them
- Speaking up with kindness when a boundary is needed, instead of bottling it in
- Choosing hospitality by welcoming people who feel invisible or out of place
- Remembering the "why" behind healthy boundaries - to protect love, not punish anyone
- Asking God for discernment in tricky situations, especially as a leader or friend
I saw this modeled beautifully in the podcast episode with Michelle. She shared about a time when she had to make a hard call for her community’s safety. It wasn’t about judgment. It was about protecting the circle of trust, while still praying for and loving the individual. That is what real discernment looks like. It is not cheap grace or letting anything go. But it also does not slam the door. It says: I love you, and I am still learning how to love like Jesus, too.
Setting Healthy Boundaries is Part of How to Love Like Jesus
Let’s talk about boundaries for a minute. Sometimes we think loving like Jesus means saying yes to everything and everyone. But even Jesus withdrew to quiet places. He took time to rest, to pray, to reconnect with the Father. I am learning that how to love like Jesus includes saying no sometimes. It means knowing your own capacity. It means not enabling harmful patterns. It means protecting the kind of space where real community can flourish.
What Healthy Boundaries Actually Look Like
Healthy boundaries are not walls to keep people out. They are more like the fences around a good garden. They help things grow well. When you set a limit, you are honoring who God created you to be, too. You are making space for healthy relationships, honest feedback, and real connection. And yes, sometimes it means someone might feel hurt or disappointed. That does not make you unloving. In fact, it can be one of the ways you love best, because you are keeping everyone safe, included, and healthy.
Michelle talked in our podcast about creating safe spaces in her community. She goes the extra mile to listen, to check facts, to look for patterns before taking action. I love that. It is not about quick judgments. It is about asking constantly: am I seeing this person through God's eyes? Am I responding out of fear or love? Am I making it safe for everyone, not just a few?
Leading with Love in Everyday Community
How to love like Jesus is not just for leaders. It is for all of us, in all our circles. But leaders have a special responsibility to set the tone. Maybe you are leading a group at church, running a small business, or just the "go-to" mom for all the neighborhood kids. You get the privilege (and the challenge) of modeling what grace and discernment look like.
One example that stood out in our conversation was how Michelle remembers hundreds of names in her community. She said it is about loving people, not just knowing facts. She asked God to help her love like Jesus, and suddenly the names stuck. What if, for you and me, choosing to love like Jesus meant simply remembering to greet people by name, paying attention to the person behind the need, and letting God fill our hearts with kindness—one person at a time?
Practical Ways You Can Lead with Love and Discernment
- Pause before making decisions - pray and listen, not just react
- Speak kindly even when you are setting a hard limit
- Ask others for feedback and seek outside perspective before rushing to judgment
- Celebrate the newcomers and make space for all kinds of stories
- Notice who feels left out and intentionally include them
- Let your words and actions point back to Jesus, not to your own ability
How to Keep Loving Like Jesus When You Feel Empty
I will be honest. It is easy to get worn out. There are seasons when loving others feels like one more thing you cannot do. That is when I come back to this simple truth: God loved us first, and He is faithful to fill us up again. Sometimes I need to get outside, breathe in the fresh air, and let the world slow down. Sometimes I need to say no to the extra meeting so I can say yes to my own family. Sometimes I need to pray, Lord, help me love like Jesus right now, because I cannot do it on my own.
If this is you, can I just encourage you? Start with a small prayer. Ask, "God, show me one person today through Your eyes." Then open your heart to notice something you might have missed. Let kindness be your default. Let honesty and grace guide your words. And when you mess up (because we all will), come back, apologize, try again, and rest in God's grace. That, my friend, is what community is for.
Let’s Practice Loving Like Jesus Together
Here is my challenge (and hope) for us. Today, ask God to help you see people through His eyes. Make it your goal to love like Jesus, not just the easy people, but even those who stretch your patience. Practice small acts of kindness. Set healthy boundaries. Take care of your heart, so you can offer real love to others. Let your faith get practical in your everyday moments.
If you want to hear more stories of what it looks like to lead with grace and discernment, I hope you will check out our full podcast episode. Community starts small, with simple perspectives that make all the difference. I am rooting for you as you learn how to love like Jesus right where you are.
For more encouragement, practical wisdom, and hope-filled stories, make sure you subscribe to the podcast and share it with a friend who needs a little extra love today. Together, we can put these perspectives into practice and bring God’s love into every corner of our communities.
