As Jesus said, it’s easy to love people who love us. You love me-I love you, you’re kind to me-I?ll be kind to you. There’s nothing wrong with that, but Jesus says there’s nothing particularly supernatural about it either. It’s an exchange, or reciprocal love. God?s love is different, God?s love goes first.

God didn’t love the world because the world was pursuing Him. He didn’t wait until humanity started behaving. Romans 5:8 says Christ died for us while we were still sinners. God didn’t love us because we loved Him. We love Him because He first loved us. That’s the order.

And now Jesus says the love we’ve received should begin showing up in the way we love others-even our enemies.

This is where love becomes fruit. In Luke 6, Jesus says, “Love your enemies, do good…”

Notice that love moves into action. Jesus isn’t asking us to pretend we have warm feelings toward someone who has hurt us. He’s teaching us that God’s kind of love isn’t controlled by how another person treats us. Their behavior doesn’t get to determine my fruit. That’s what Living Under the Influence looks like. If I’m only kind when you’re kind, then your behavior is controlling mine. If I’m only patient when you’re easy to deal with, you’re determining my patience. If I’m gentle until you become harsh, your harshness has become my influence. But the fruit of the Spirit means someone else’s behavior doesn’t get to decide who I’m becoming.

That’s why Jesus’ command to love our enemies is possible. I’m not loving them because of who they are or because of what they’ve done, I’m loving them because of Who lives in me.

And sometimes God’s love flowing through us may be the first glimpse someone gets of a love that doesn’t demand something in return. Maybe someone in your world needs you to go first too.