Developing a Christlike Love
Co-Written by Lee A. Burdge and Jenny D. Webb (from The Dents in My Armor Podcast)
During the month of February, it’s common for us to turn our focus toward love. We see the decorations, watch the commercials, and, if we have young children, help them create Valentine’s cards for their classmates and teachers. Perhaps we’re planning a romantic date for our significant other, or maybe we’re trying to avoid the holiday altogether because it’s a painful reminder of what we feel is missing in our lives.
Whether or not you celebrate Valentine’s Day, one thing we can all embrace is the deeper meaning of love.
In Matthew 22:36-40, Jesus teaches that the two greatest commandments are, first, to love our Heavenly Father with all our heart, soul, and mind, and second, to love others as we love ourselves. He then explains that all other commandments are built upon this foundation of love.
Loving God with our whole heart can feel overwhelming—how do we develop that kind of love? If we look to our Savior, Jesus Christ, He not only tells us how but shows us by His perfect example. Through Him, we learn how to love God and each other with the divine, Christlike love we are called to develop.
This journey of love is lifelong. It’s not a finish line we cross with our arms raised in triumph, declaring, “I did it! I love God and everyone perfectly!” Instead, it is a daily quest—one that will challenge and refine us for the rest of our lives. Learning to love as He does requires us to rely on our Savior—on His grace, His strength, and His forgiveness.
One of the first questions we should ask ourselves is, Why? Why does God command us to love Him and His children? It might be tempting to think that He requires our devotion to satisfy His own glory, but nothing could be further from the truth. God doesn’t need us to worship Him—He desires us to love Him so that we can draw closer to Him. He knows this life is a complex mix of joy and sorrow, trials and triumphs. When we turn our hearts to Him, we receive the strength, power, and peace He promises to those who follow Him.
Loving God and keeping His commandments doesn’t shield us from challenges, but it anchors us through them. No one is exempt from hardship, but when our love for God transforms our hearts, difficulties refine us rather than break us.
As our love for God grows, it changes how we see others. We begin to see people as He does—valuable, loved, and worth redeeming. This shift helps us extend grace, even to those who challenge us. Loving others doesn’t mean we condone their choices or tolerate mistreatment. Christlike love is not passive acceptance; it is active and intentional. It includes setting healthy boundaries to protect ourselves spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Jesus loves both the sinner and the saint. He suffered for all—even those we may struggle to love.
Developing this kind of love starts with small, daily acts of kindness and respect. We can test our hearts by examining how we speak to and about others. How do we react to frustrations while driving or waiting in line? How do we treat those we live with? Small moments of patience, service, and forgiveness are opportunities to practice Christlike love. When we pray for eyes to see each other’s divine worth, for the strength to withhold judgment, and for the grace to forgive, we take steps toward becoming more like Him.
Without the enabling power of Jesus Christ, we cannot fully love as we are commanded. His Atonement makes it possible for us to repent, to be forgiven, and to try again and again as we learn to love as He does.
This Valentine’s season, we invite each of us to expand our celebration of love beyond our close circles and embrace the higher love that our Heavenly Father calls us to develop. As we do, we will find that loving others becomes our natural way of being—the place where we experience the deepest peace and joy, no matter what storms we face. This is the love that endures beyond February—the love that transforms our hearts, our relationships, and our lives.
With love,
Lee and Jenny
Co-hosts of The Dents in My Armor Podcast
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