Love Walked among Us: Learning to Love like Jesus
Overview
Who is Jesus? His name is recognized the world over. Christians claim to follow him. Muslims honor him as a prophet. And many Jewish rabbis regard him as a great teacher. Everyone knows about Jesus, but how many of us fully understand what he was like as a person?
Nowhere was the vitality of Jesus more visible than in his love, a love unlikely any the world has ever seen. Compassionate, honest, powerful, humble, and sacrificial—Jesus was love personified, love walking among us. Such an example doesn’t just happen. How did he do it? And how can we learn to love like him?
In Love Walked among Us, Paul Miller invites us to get to know Jesus, to observe his life and his love as they unfold in the Gospel narratives. The accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—combined with Miller’s own life stories—will encourage us to imitate Jesus’ way of loving people. We’ll investigate such questions as:
- How do you love someone when you get no love in return, only withdrawal or ingratitude?
- How do you love without being trapped or used by another person?
- How do you love when you have your own problems? When do you take care of yourself?
In every way, Jesus’ life exemplifies the full potential of what we were intended to be. And the better we know him, the more we will be drawn to follow his perfect example.
The Logos Bible Software edition of this volume is designed to encourage and stimulate your study and understanding of spiritual disciplines. Scripture passages link directly to your English translations and to the original language texts, and important concepts link to dictionaries, encyclopedias, and a wealth of other resources in your digital library. In addition, you can perform powerful searches by topic and find what other authors, scholars, and theologians have to say about faith, meditation, and Christlikeness.
- Examines how Jesus treated people that he encountered
- Studies the way that Jesus loved
- Discusses how to apply principles of compassion
- Part 1: Love Shows Compassion
- A Mind Full of Someone Else: Love Looks and Acts
- Looking Shapes the Heart: Learning How to See People
- “I Know What’s Best for You”: Judging Blocks Compassion
- “I’m Better than You”: Self-Righteousness Blocks Compassion
- “This Is What You Should Do”: Legalism Blocks Compassion
- The Golden Rule: Incarnation Leads to Compassion
- Part 2: Love Speaks the Truth
- A Time to Speak Up: Balancing Compassion with Honesty
- Honest Anger: A Compassionate Warning to Others
- A Time to Shut Up: Balancing Honesty with Compassion
- “I Know How Hard It Is; I Do the Same Thing”: Being Honest Without Being Judgmental
- Part 3: Love Depends on God
- The Secret to Love: Dependence on God
- Saying “No” to Someone You Love: Compassionately Responding to Demands
- Saying “No” to Self-Gratification: Love That Is Pure
- Saying “Yes” to Gentle Intrusion: Love Brings Light into Darkness
- Part 4: Love Is Energized by Faith
- Faith Empowers Love: Where Can I Find the Energy to Love?
- Faith Means Losing Control: Going to God with Our Needs
- The Intimate Stranger: Weaving a Fabric of Love
- Oneness: Love Leads to Intimacy
- Part 5: Love Moves Through Death into Life
- The Way of Humility: Love Takes the Lower Place
- Facing Sadness: When Love Leads to Grief
- A Symphony of Love: Love Under Pressure
- His Life for Ours: The Cost of Love
- The Birth of Hope: The End of Love’s Journey
- Opening the Door: What Do We Do with Jesus?
Top Highlights
“Jesus’ soul is anchored in God; this frees him from other people’s opinions. In” (Page 84)
“Jesus has shown us how to love: Look, feel, and then help. If we help someone but don’t take the time to look at the person and feel what he or she is feeling, our love is cold. And if we look and feel, but don’t do what we can to help, our love is cheap. Love does both.” (Page 30)
“The gift of compassion must be accompanied by the gift of truth.” (Page 88)
“We instinctively know that love leads to commitment, so we look away when we see a beggar. We might have to pay if we look too closely and care too deeply. Loving means losing control of our schedule, our money, and our time. When we love we cease to be the master and become a servant.” (Page 34)
“To be lovers of people, we need to look at them. Like Jesus we must see them. Like him we must stop, look, and listen.” (Page 35)
To see Jesus is to see what love looks like. Paul Miller gives us a fresh look in this wonderful book.
—Joni Eareckson Tada, founder, Joni and Friends
Paul Miller graces our loves with a mutlicolored, richly textured portrait of Jesus. This work brings not only a compelling clarity to our misunderstandings about Jesus, but a life-changing encounter with his presence that frees us to call him our friend and our God.
—Dan B. Allender, professor of counseling psychology, The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology
Love Walked among Us is authentic ‘shoe-leather’ Christianity. Anyone who wants to grow in his or her relationship with God and other people will profit from this book.
—Jerry Bridges, author, speaker, staff member of The Navigators
Paul Miller captures the radiant beauty of Jesus Christ and shows how our relationship to the one who was love incarnate transforms our lives. A very edifying and informative book.
—Gregory A. Boyd, senior pastor, Woodland Hills Church, St. Paul, MN
Paul Miller has four powerful things working for him: he writes with grace and clarity, he is a natural storyteller, his priority is love, and he is deeply enamored with Jesus Christ. This book will draw you into the greatest things in life.
—Brian McLaren, author, speaker, and activist
- Title: Love Walked among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus
- Author: Paul Miller
- Publisher: NavPress
- Publication Date: 2001
- Pages: 262