Jesus’s purposes on Earth were many, but one of them was to be the embodiment of God’s love. God loved us so much that God sent Jesus Christ to live among us as a human being. Jesus came to Earth to live, love, and thrive in the same ways we do as humankind. As we continue to observe advent, I invite you to imagine what it would be like to live as a person that embodies love.

As followers of Christ, we are commanded to love the Lord our God. Jesus gave us this commandment in Matthew 22, and loving God continues to be a thread weaved throughout the New Testament. We are able to show our love for God in several different ways. Through studying the Bible, we invest in the relationship we have with our Lord. Though the Bible is an ancient text, it continues to speak in new and fresh ways. The Bible reveals who God is and what Jesus, God in flesh, did while living on Earth. In order to love God well, we must study the Word. In addition to studying the Word of God, we should also pray to God. Our relationship with God depends on communication, much like any other in our lives. We make an investment in our relationship with God by praying to God in the name of Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. Both studying the Word of God and praying to God demonstrate our love for God.

In addition to loving the Lord, we should love one another. In the year 2020, there was no greater test of “love for neighbor” than the pandemic that rendered many of us homebound, and in need of a mask if we were to leave. Mask mandates were a simple reflection of taking care of other people, in that putting on a mask meant protecting the next person from what the mask wearer had. Nevertheless, there were people who decided not to wear a mask, citing religious and sometimes medical reasons. There were no consequences for making such a selfish decision. Loving one another in action can look like wearing a mask out of the house. As we hopefully turn the corner to see the end of the pandemic drawing nearer, the masks are still helpful as they demonstrate an understanding of public health and of care for one another. Loving one another can also look like advocating for those in need. In the technology age we live in, it could be as simple as sharing a story chronicling mistreatment of someone that isn’t getting enough attention from the mainstream media. In the real world, it could mean showing up to a city council meeting to speak for the home insecure who are harassed by folks walking by. On a larger scale, it could mean donating your time to an organization whose values align with your own. There is always something we could do to demonstrate our love for those around us.

Loving God and loving our neighbors is what Jesus did. Jesus can be found throughout the New Testament talking about what His father commanded him to do. He did those such things out of his love for God. His initial miracle of turning the water into wine was done out of an abundance of love for God and for others. Jesus spent his ministry providing, looking after, and taking care of those in need. Jesus Christ was the embodiment of love.