“Let no one despise your youth but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity” – 1 Timothy 4:12 (NKJV)
Imagine walking into a dark room and seeing a single candle burning quietly. That candle does not need to speak or move to be noticed, yet its presence brings comfort and light. That is what your life should be like as a child of God. The way you live should reflect Christ so clearly that others come to know what love looks like by watching you.
Why? Because God is love, and you were made in His image (1 John 4:7–8). If God is love, and you carry His nature, then love must be your default. The way you speak, the way you treat others, and how you respond when offended should all reveal the heart of the Father. Love is not something you put on when it is convenient. It is who you are because you are born of God.
This is the foundation of Christian love: We love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). God did not wait for us to deserve His love; He loved us while we were yet sinners and that is how He calls us to love others (Romans 5:8). Not based on their merit or behaviour, but as a response to the love we have already received. Love is not a reward; it is a gift, especially to those who may never repay it.
True love makes no distinctions. James reminds us that when we show preference to the rich over the poor, we reveal a corrupt heart (James 2:1–4). God’s kind of love is not partial. You are not called to love only those you like or those who are easy to love; you are called to love as God does, seeing worth in every person regardless of status or gain.
This kind of love is not weak. It is patient and strong. It is not easily provoked, and it does not keep a record of wrongs. It bears all things, believes the best, hopes in every season, and endures through pain (1 Corinthians 13:4–7). When you walk in love, people encounter God through your kindness, your patience, your willingness to forgive, and your ability to see the best in others.
Dear believer, your love walk is not optional. May people see the heart of God simply because they met you. Be an example of love, not just in word, but in every action.
Bible Reading Plan: Jeremiah 43–45; Titus 2
