Seeing True Love through Christ

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Posted by: Jenny Baker, Content Writer & Communications Coordinator | Monday, December 22nd, 2025 (12:00am)

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.—John 1:14 

I love pancakes. I love my dog. I love my husband. And I love naps. 

But do I love these things in the same way? We often use the term “love” so casually it’s easy to miss the weight behind it. By treating love so lightly, are we reducing it from something sacred to something shallow? And is there a risk in doing so? After all, I just equally applied the word love to both my husband and something that originates from a box of Bisquick.  

When I stop and reflect, I realize that when I look to the world to define what love is, it’s tied directly to my emotions. I claim to “love” something because it gives me pleasure in some way. But if love were only dependent on something that makes me feel good or happy, then its presence in my life would come and go as quickly as the final bite on my breakfast plate. I’d be engaged in an endless cycle of chasing after things that stir up the “love” inside, only to have the feeling fade, leading me to find something new to love all over again (actually, once upon a time, that’s exactly what I did…but that’s a story for another day). 

However, like everything else in life, if I truly want to understand love, I should not look to the world but to God’s Word to find clarity. And while the entire Bible reveals God’s incredible mercy and love for us, the birth of Christ demonstrates just how powerful love really is. 

At Christmas, we encounter a love beyond our understanding. God, the incomprehensible Creator of all things, left His throne in the perfect heavenly realm to come to earth to be born in the form of a human baby. Not just any baby, but a baby born without prestige or wealth or material things (a baby whose first cradle was literally an animal food trough!). A baby whose destiny was not just to minister to the lost and broken, but to also be executed on a cross by the very people He came to serve.  

When I look at God’s example of love, I realize it isn’t inward-facing, as I often assume—it’s outward-facing. Love is stepping down from our own place to meet others where they are. It’s serving when we might rightly be served. It’s sacrificing ourselves for the benefit of someone else. In other words, love is not a feeling, it’s an action. It’s putting another’s needs above our own, even when it’s inconvenient, uncomfortable, or undeserved—not because it makes us feel good, but because it is what God did for us.  

This Christmas, chances are you’ll likely encounter someone who stirs up strong emotions—a spouse, a family member, or someone in your circle whose views greatly differ from your own. While love driven by feelings may serve us well when life is easy, it can be hard to find when faced with someone who challenges our patience and goodwill. But as we celebrate the birth of Jesus, we are reminded that love is not what people do or give to us, but what we can do or give to others. In those moments, loving like Christ becomes the most meaningful gift we can offer; one that can change lives, heal hearts, and point others toward the one who loves us perfectly. 

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