The world feels exhausted. As we scroll through endless opinions or outrage, it’s easy to grow numb — or worse, cynical. It’s easy to love those who agree with us and quietly avoid those who don’t. But when Jesus spoke during the Last Supper, that’s not the kind of love He was talking about. When He gave the “new command,” He was in a room full of people who would fail Him, deny Him, betray Him, run from Him. Yet He still said, “Love one another as I have loved you” (John 13:34b, NIV).

That kind of love is not transactional or convenient. It’s a love that shows up when it would be easier to move on or stay silent. It’s love that says, “I see you. I’m staying.” Maybe that’s what the world is desperate for: people who stay, people who don’t let pride or prejudice cancel compassion, and people whose faith mirrors Jesus’s — steady and stubbornly kind. It wasn’t sentimental love He had to give. It was the kind of love that crossed lines and refused to return hate for hate. It was love that called out to neighbors, love that healed outsiders, and love that reached for the hand of a betrayer. 

That kind of love doesn’t come naturally. That kind of love doesn’t wait to manifest until people agree or whether it fits our expectations. 

Instead, that kind of love makes the first move towards healing. It’s love that forgives when it’s not deserved. It’s love that listens before it argues. It’s love that ignites conversation. 

In John 13, Jesus is saying that our love, especially toward people who are different from us, is what the world will recognize when we belong to Him. In a time when division feels normal, real love is radical. It refuses to mirror the culture’s hate. It builds bridges where walls once stood. This is the kind of love we are called to. 

This is not optional for disciples. It is the visible sign of belonging to Him. 

When the world sees followers of Christ loving beyond their comfort zones, forgiving enemies, embracing the marginalized, standing up for justice, and choosing reconciliation over retaliation, the Gospel becomes believable again.

Dig Deeper

You don’t have to fix all the world’s problems to live out this command. Start where you are. Choose compassion in conversations that tempt you towards judgment. Pray for the person who frustrates you. When we love this way, we don’t just reflect kindness, we reflect Jesus.

Prayer

Lord, thank You for loving me when I’m hard to love. When the world feels divided, teach me how to love like You do: gently and without conditions. Let my compassion be louder than my opinions. And when it feels like love costs too much, remind me that You’ve already paid the price. Amen.

Daily Readings

Flower illustration by Lan Truong. Scripture illustration by Saskia Bueno. | This article was originally titled “Real Love” in the February 2026 issue of Peer.