Do You Only Love the Easy Ones? Rediscovering the Radical Love Jesus Demands
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If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? — Matthew 5:46a
This verse used to slide right past me. Of course, I love those who love me! Isn’t that what we’re supposed to do? But then one day, this question from Jesus pierced me in a new way: “If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?”
It was like He was asking me directly: Is that all you’ve got?
And honestly, sometimes it is. Loving people who are kind, supportive, and reciprocating? That’s easy. But what about the people who ignore me, hurt me, or flat-out despise me? That’s where this verse gets uncomfortably real.
Jesus didn’t ask this question to shame us. He asked it to elevate our understanding of what it means to love like He loves. Today, I want to walk through this question with you — digging into the cultural and biblical background, how it connects to the Old Testament, and most importantly, what it means for us today.
What Jesus Meant in Cultural Context
Jesus asked this question during the Sermon on the Mount — His revolutionary teaching on what it truly means to live as a child of the Kingdom. His audience was mostly Jewish, living under Roman oppression, surrounded by enemies and religious legalism.
In that time, the religious elite often believed righteousness came through rule-following. They taught “love your neighbor” but interpreted “neighbor” as only fellow Jews (and often, only those deemed "worthy"). Hatred for outsiders — Samaritans, tax collectors, Gentiles, and especially enemies — was normalized.
So when Jesus said, “If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?”, He wasn’t just making a general observation. He was radically challenging the accepted way of life. He was saying, “Even sinners do that. I’m calling you to something higher.”
This was revolutionary. Jesus wasn’t redefining love. He was restoring it to its original form — divine, unconditional, sacrificial.
Old Testament Connections to Radical Love
Though Jesus’ words sounded new, they were deeply rooted in Old Testament truth.
In Leviticus 19:18, God told Israel, “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge… but love your neighbor as yourself.” That same chapter also says, “The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself” (Leviticus 19:34).
Love was never meant to be exclusive. God has always called His people to reflect His heart — a heart that “is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love” (Exodus 34:6).
Yet, by Jesus’ time, this had been reduced to tribalism and minimal love. Jesus reminded us that God’s love doesn’t draw borders, and neither should ours.
What Reward Are We After?
Jesus’ question has a second part — the one we often overlook: “…what reward will you get?”
Let’s be honest: we all crave reward. Recognition, peace, fulfillment, or a sense of purpose. But if our love is transactional — giving only to those who give in return — we’ve missed the reward Jesus offers.
In Luke 6:35, Jesus says, “But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great…” The reward He speaks of is eternal and internal — joy, peace, identity, and closeness with the Father.
When we love like Jesus, we become more like Him. That’s the real reward.
Loving the Unlovable: What It Looks Like Today
Let’s get practical.
Who in your life is hardest to love? Maybe it’s:
A rude coworker who constantly criticizes.
A family member who never calls unless they need something.
A neighbor who gossips or judges.
A stranger online who posts hateful comments.
Jesus is saying: Don’t just love the ones who love you back. Love the ones who give you nothing in return.
It’s not easy. But neither was the cross. Jesus didn’t love us because we were lovable. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
How I’m Learning to Love Beyond Comfort
This has been one of the hardest areas of growth in my faith walk. I used to avoid people who were difficult, writing them off as “toxic” or “too far gone.” But God wouldn’t let me rest there.
One day, while praying about a strained relationship, I felt the Lord whisper, “You’re waiting for them to earn your love, but I gave Mine to you freely.” That moment changed everything.
I started praying for them — genuinely. I began offering kindness without expecting anything back. Sometimes it was received. Sometimes not. But the change in me was undeniable.
The Hope in Loving Like Jesus
Here’s the truth: Loving unconditionally transforms us.
It softens our pride.
It trains our hearts to reflect God’s heart.
It opens the door for healing, reconciliation, and redemption.
Even if nothing changes on the outside, something always changes within.
Jesus promised that loving like Him is worth it. The reward might not come in the form of applause or returned affection — but it comes in the form of intimacy with the Father, freedom from bitterness, and the joy of obedience.
Scriptures That Fuel Unconditional Love
Matthew 5:44 – “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
1 John 4:7 – “Let us love one another, for love comes from God.”
Luke 6:32 – “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.”
Romans 12:20 – “If your enemy is hungry, feed him…”
Proverbs 25:21 – “If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat…”
These aren’t just verses — they’re life-changing truths.
Recommended Books to Further Study the Subject
💡 Reflection Questions
Who in your life are you finding difficult to love right now?
Are you waiting for someone to earn your love before you give it?
What “reward” are you really seeking from your acts of love?
How can you start loving more like Jesus today?
🙏 Prayer to Love Like Jesus
Lord, help me to love beyond what’s easy. Give me strength to love when it hurts, patience when I’m rejected, and grace when I’m wronged. Remind me that You loved me when I was unlovable — and You still do. Make my heart like Yours.
📣 Call to Action: Love Radically This Week
Don’t wait for love to be easy. Choose someone hard to love this week and take a step: pray for them, serve them, forgive them, or speak kindly to them. Then, journal about what God shows you through it.
