In a world suffocating with division, self-interest, and darkness, one of the most radical acts a Christian can perform is to love. Yet, love today is misunderstood, misused, and often mocked. Empathy—the ability to feel with others, to bear their burdens—is scarce. And for believers, it can feel nearly impossible to maintain love for a humanity that appears increasingly unlovable.
But Christ calls us to something higher.
The Greatest Commandments: Love God, Love Others
Jesus summarized the entire law with two commandments:
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ — Matthew 22:37-39
The first is our vertical relationship with God—complete, undivided love. The second is horizontal—loving broken, sinful, often rebellious people.
And that’s where it hurts.
The Struggle with the Second Commandment
How do we love others when humanity is the very source of its own suffering?
How do we love people who kill, deceive, mock, and hate?
- They kill Christians in silence and in bloodshed.
- They mock Jesus in media, music, and entertainment.
- They legislate sin and celebrate perversion.
- They teach children confusion and call it freedom.
- They call evil good and good evil. “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil…” — Isaiah 5:20
Empathy begins to feel like naivety. Love starts to feel like weakness. And being a true follower of Christ—an apostle in heart and spirit—starts to feel like walking into fire.
“In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” — 2 Timothy 3:12
Why Love Anyway?
Because love is not about feeling good—it’s about revealing Christ.
Jesus didn’t love the lovable. He loved the broken, the proud, the mocking, and the unrepentant.
“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” — Romans 5:8
He washed the feet of Judas.
He forgave His murderers.
He embraced lepers, liars, and lawbreakers.
Empathy doesn’t excuse sin. It intercedes. It stands in the gap. It weeps, warns, prays, and pleads. True empathy is a warrior’s compassion.
The Problem with Humanity Is Humanity
The root of every war, lie, betrayal, and injustice is the corrupted human heart.
“The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can understand it?” — Jeremiah 17:9
The problem is not just “out there”—it’s within us. And if we forget this, we stop extending grace. We start judging like Pharisees. We forget we were rescued too.
Loving Without Compromising
Loving your neighbor does not mean:
- Agreeing with sin
- Tolerating deception
- Silencing truth to avoid offense
It means:
- Speaking truth in love (Ephesians 4:15)
- Praying for those who persecute you (Matthew 5:44)
- Resisting evil but never becoming evil (Romans 12:21)
- Mourning the lost, not hating them
We are not called to win arguments—we’re called to win souls. That requires empathy without compromise.
A Call to Apostolic Resilience
To be an apostle of Christ in today’s world is to carry a cross daily.
To love when it’s easier to judge.
To speak truth when it may cost you your job, reputation, or even life.
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first.” — John 15:18
Christians are being silenced, censored, misled, and murdered—but we are not abandoned.
“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned…” — 2 Corinthians 4:8-9
We must thrive on more empathy, not because the world deserves it, but because Christ commands it.
Final Word: Be the Light Anyway
Humanity is dark—but the light shines brighter in darkness.
Empathy is hard—but it reflects the heart of God.
So love the unlovable.
Weep for the wicked.
Pray for the deceived.
Live truth without hate.
Stand when no one claps.
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” — Romans 12:21
To thrive on more empathy for humanity is to say:
“Lord, make me Your voice, Your hands, and Your heart—even when the world spits on You.”
This is the narrow path. And it’s still worth walking.
Thrive on Less 
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