Love Like Jesus – Matthew 7:1

In Luke 10, Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan—a story many of us have heard since childhood. A man is robbed, beaten, and left half-dead on the side of the road. Two men walk by—both seen as “godly” by society’s standards—and yet neither stops to help. Then a Samaritan comes along. Someone who, culturally, would have been considered an outsider or even an enemy by the Jewish people. But he’s the one who shows compassion. He goes out of his way, tends to the man’s wounds, and even pays for a place for him to recover. This is the kind of mercy and action that shows us what it truly means to love like Jesus.

Jesus finishes the story by saying, “Go and do likewise.”

The Bible tells us to love others, but let’s be honest—our own judgment can get in the way. Instead of offering compassion, we often make quiet assumptions about who’s worthy of kindness. That man on the corner? It’s easy to assume he brought homelessness on himself. The girl who had an abortion? Her story is rarely heard before opinions are formed. And when someone’s lifestyle or beliefs don’t align with ours, criticism too often comes faster than grace.

Yet Jesus didn’t say, “Love the people who agree with you.” He said in John 15:12, “Love each other as I have loved you.”

So how does He love us? He stays when we mess up. He offers forgiveness we didn’t earn and probably wouldn’t give ourselves. In the middle of our worst moments, He shows up with mercy instead of turning away. We fail Him more often than we’d like to admit—but somehow, His love doesn’t change.

Matthew 7:1 reminds us, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” God never gave us the job of deciding who deserves love. He simply told us to give it.

So maybe it’s time we stop walking past the wounded. Maybe it’s time we put down our judgment and pick up compassion. After all, Jesus didn’t just tell the story of the Good Samaritan to inspire us—He told it to show us how to live.

Let’s go and do likewise.

If you’re working through what it means to love others without judgment, this post on affirming God’s grace in recovery may offer a fresh perspective.

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