One of my favorite TV shows is How I Met Your Mother. The perfect mix of rom(ance) and com(edy), the show is based around the main character, Ted Mosby. Over the course of nine seasons, Ted tells the tale of how he fell in love with his kid’s mother. However, this is not my favorite love story from the show – that would be the story of Marshall and Lily Ericksen.
Marshall and Lily met on their first day of college and fell in love immediately. From there the rest is history. They date, get married, buy the house in the suburbs, start a family — the works. And despite their fights and arguments, they continued to show up for each other unconditionally. Their love is so deep that no matter what happens throughout the show their relationship not only weathered the storm, but it grew stronger.
Isn’t that what a biblical love is? That despite our circumstances, actions, or sins, God still loves us? Biblical love is selfless. It is sacrificial. It is unconditional and rooted in action – not just emotion. It’s a commitment to seek the good of others, even at personal cost, and it reflects the very character of God.
The embodiment of biblical love can be applied in every facet of our lives. Especially in our homes, our churches, and our communities.
IN OUR HOMES
It is no secret that we all get tired and weary – especially after a long day of work. Sometimes we get home to the family and all we want to do is turn on the TV and tune everything out. But what about our kids? What about our spouses? Why should they be left with the fragments of our energy?
Philippians 2:3-4 (ESV) says, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
The Apostle Paul is telling us that instead of retreating into a selfish rest, we need to choose to put others, in this case, our families, first. We need to be there for them - serving them. Not only serving them but doing so with humility and patience, regardless of its acknowledgement or convenience.
Go for the bike ride. Play catch. Do the dishes. Even when your tank is empty. Show your family what it is like to be biblically loved.
IN OUR CHURCH
As Christians, it is easy for our hearts to grow ‘crusty’. Sometimes we want to stay in our bubble and only focus on our lane. But this does not show biblical love. Biblical love in the church is inviting, welcoming, and caring for someone new in your church community. This is even more important when someone may feel unseen or out of place.
So, what does this look like in our day-to-day?
We need to eliminate judgment and favoritism. We need to love all of God’s children – regardless of their appearance or background. This is what we are called do to in James 2:1-4 (ESV). “Show no partiality... if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, ‘You sit here in a good place,’ while you say to the poor man, ‘You stand over there’... have you not then made distinctions among yourselves?”
Let’s take this into your next Sunday morning. Greet a few new faces with a warm hello on their way into the building. Invite someone to lunch after church or throughout the week. Spark a conversation with someone who appears to be sitting alone on a Sunday morning.
IN OUR COMMUNITIES
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” John 3:16-18 (ESV)
Biblical love does not wait for people, in this case, the community gives it freely. In verse 17, Jesus does not come to condemn the world but to save it. He is showing us that true love seeks to restore others, not to judge.
Biblical love in our communities is active, sacrificial, and unconditional. This could be as simple as paying for a person’s coffee behind us at Starbucks or mowing your elderly neighbor’s lawn. You could seek an acquaintance on the margins of society and build a relationship — have a conversation, get to know them, offer support.
Let’s bring the light of the Holy Spirit into our communities by loving like Jesus.
Just like Marshall and Lily’s love story stood the test of time through commitment and sacrifice, we are called to reflect an even greater love—a biblical love—in the way we live every day. It’s a love that isn’t based on convenience or emotion, but one that is selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional, just like the love God has shown us through Christ.
Whether it’s showing up for your family after a long day, reaching out to someone new at church, or serving your community without expecting anything in return, these everyday actions embody the heart of God. Love like this doesn’t just tell people about Jesus—it shows them.
Cover photo by Koli Abhishek on Unsplash
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