Love Walked Among Us Quotes

“We begin to resemble what we focus on. If we devote our lives to our jobs, then we mentally take the office to our daughter’s lacrosse game.”
― Paul Miller, Love Walked Among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus

“When I think of how Jesus loved people, the word “cherish” comes to mind. When we cherish someone, we combine looking and compassion—we notice and care for that person. We don’t shut him or her out.”
― Paul Miller, Love Walked Among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus

“According to Jesus, acknowledging our neediness opens the door to genuine and lasting happiness. Religions usually talk about what a person has to "do", but Jesus talks about what we "can't do". He says that our weakness, not our power or what we bring to God, enables us to know God.”
― Paul E. Miller, Love Walked Among Us: Learning To Love Like Jesus

“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.”
― Paul Miller, Love Walked Among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus

“... while our world is reluctant to call something evil, it has also grown cynical about the possibility of unselfish love. The denial of Satan's existence comes out of a mind-set that denies the reality of the spiritual world. But if the world is purely material, then all action is interpreted as self-centered and we have no basis for love. The denial of evil eventually leads to the assumption that there is no love.”
― Paul E. Miller, Love Walked Among Us: Learning To Love Like Jesus

“Then Jesus feels like running: “What shall I say? Father, save me from this hour?” He’s struggling with whether he should ask God to make his world pain-free. But Jesus is ruled by his Father, so he says, “No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.” In other words, “I am aware of my feelings, but I will not wallow in them.” (Our culture makes feelings absolute: “Because I feel this way, I must act on it.” But to be constantly swept along by your feelings is a modern form of bondage.) Finally Jesus worships, “Father, glorify your name!” The scene itself is a mini-death and resurrection. Jesus dies to his desires and then comes alive to the beauty of his Father.”
― Paul E. Miller, Love Walked among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus

“Faith is not some kind of spiritual energy. It’s realizing that we don’t have the resources for living. It’s turning to Jesus and saying, “I have no bread. I have no wine. I have no love.” It’s joining the tax collector in the temple, saying, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner. I can’t do life on my own anymore.” Faith goes to God with our weakness, just as Jesus wanted his disciples to come to him. That connection solves real problems—like forgetting to bring bread. Or not being able to love your mom or your roommate.”
― Paul E. Miller, Love Walked among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus

“The parable about the Good Samaritan tells how a Samaritan rescues a man who is mugged and beaten by robbers on the Jericho—Jerusalem road, a notoriously dangerous stretch of highway. To understand how this story must have shocked the Jews, imagine someone telling a story about “The Good Nazi.” The Jews and Samaritans hated one another.”
― Paul Miller, Love Walked Among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus

“The disciples see a completed tragedy and wonder who the villain was; Jesus sees a story half-told, with the best yet to come.”
― Paul E. Miller, Love Walked among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus

“He talks about a seed that loses its life for the sake of the plant that it produces: “Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds” (John 12:24). His words refer to his own journey through death into life.”
― Paul E. Miller, Love Walked among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus

“The son turned his back on his father and tried to create his own joy by spending his father’s money. Likewise, our culture tells us that getting—being rich or good-looking or popular—brings joy, but it doesn’t. Like the son, we soon discover that when we reach the goal, we are empty. The joy is fleeting. Like the father, Jesus’ joy is so big that he tells his disciples that he wants them to “have the full measure of my joy” (John 17:13). His joy is a possession (“my joy”), a constant, steady presence in the center of his personality. We get this joy, not by working at it or creating it through human experience, but by returning to the father, by resting in God’s love for us. Jesus also told his disciples: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. . . . I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:9,11). Jesus is the door to his Father’s joy. To experience his love is to possess joy.”
― Paul E. Miller, Love Walked among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus

“The disciples’ view of Jesus continues to expand. They are beginning to conclude that Jesus is far more than a prophet.[47] At the same time, Jesus’ message is simple: “Peter, when you look away from me and at your circumstances, you will become afraid and begin to sink. You must keep your eyes on me. I am enough.” He wants Peter to look at him when it’s storming, just as he wanted Philip to look at him when there wasn’t enough food for the crowd. This is how to find the energy for life, including love. In love, Jesus looked at people. In faith, we look to Jesus.”
― Paul E. Miller, Love Walked among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus

“In a staff meeting, I was discussing a new project with two coworkers. The meeting was winding down, and I realized that it wasn’t clear to the other two that I was the one who had come up with the idea of the project. I immediately thought of a remedy: I would say something like, “When I first came up with the idea for this project . . .” I wouldn’t directly boast, I’d just “clarify” something that would show it was my idea. (In other words, I was going to boast.) But I didn’t. I was quiet because it dawned on me that boasting was like asking Jesus to make breakfast. My food would have been trying to get them to like me. To want their approval was to work for food that spoils. It would leave me still hungry. My two coworkers left the room, and the meeting ended without me saying anything. As I sat there alone, I felt an overwhelming sense of emptiness and pointlessness. Life didn’t seem worth living. I was surprised at how strong the feeling was. I mean, all I did was not boast. Why the feeling? I was feeling my heart, what life is like without God. Boasting gives us a false sense of “really living.” Letting other people know how good we are is a not-so-subtle way of stealing love. When I stopped stealing (by not boasting), I felt my emptiness. As I sat there, I became hungry for God. For real life. For food that sticks to the ribs. Nothing dramatic happened. But I walked out of that room full. I had a real meal instead of my junk-food boasting. I thought about Jesus’ words to the crowd that Saturday morning: “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you” (John 6:53).”
― Paul E. Miller, Love Walked among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus

“If human nature is basically okay, then the crowd’s demand for Jesus to be a human king makes sense, because only surface, cosmetic change is needed: political reform, better education, or more jobs. But if the influence of evil is pervasive, if it is within each person, then a more radical solution is necessary. If the problem is the human heart, and not the Romans, then the human heart needs a new king. Isn’t that why we find love difficult? We want to be the ruler, to be in control, to have another serve us. Instead of “doing nothing on our own and doing just what our Father wants,” we have ignored God, creating gods that make us feel good about ourselves. Faith is a return to God that says, “I’ve done it my way. I need help.” Living independently of God cuts us off from the power to love and ultimately destroys love.”
― Paul E. Miller, Love Walked among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus

“Jesus feeds the people because they are hungry. Plain and simple. But the actions are also a parable, demonstrating that he is the source of life. The people sit down . . . on the green grass. Note how similar the wording is to Psalm 23: “The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures.” Jesus then prepares a table before them and gives them so much that their cup overflows with twelve baskets of leftovers. Jesus creates an overflowing abundance out of a pittance, similar to what he did with the wine at the wedding in Cana. Goodness and mercy have pursued the people in the person of Jesus. They have been cared for by a loving shepherd.”
― Paul E. Miller, Love Walked among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus

“The hardest part of love is not, “How do I love?”; it’s wanting to love in the first place, and then having the energy to do it. It takes energy to love, energy that we don’t often have.”
― Paul E. Miller, Love Walked among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus

“Why does Jesus intrude? He’s on a God-directed mission to seek and save what was lost. Jesus sought out Zacchaeus. He didn’t just wait for people to come to him. He is an invading king, coming to get his kingdom. Jesus began his life’s work announcing that God was now gently intruding into the world. “The kingdom of God has come near” (Mark 1:15). So like a king, Jesus moves in and takes charge. But what a strange kingdom: the poor, outcasts, prostitutes, Samaritans, and women! No wonder Jesus told Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). It’s an upside-down kingdom. With a final touch of love, Jesus turns and blesses Zacchaeus: “Today salvation has come to this house” (Luke 19:9). Jesus’ name in Hebrew means “God saves.” Jesus saved Zacchaeus by associating with him, thus taking upon himself Zacchaeus’ bad reputation. Salvation worked by substitution: that’s how love works.”
― Paul E. Miller, Love Walked among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus

“Love moves toward people, even if that means confrontation. It doesn’t leave them alone in their suffering or in their selfishness. Sometimes people are so paralyzed that unless we intrude, unless we break through both of our natural reserves, we can’t love them. When I need to talk to one of our teenagers about something and know I’ll get an earful, I remind myself that love moves toward people. I don’t even need to know what to say—I can just move closer.”
― Paul E. Miller, Love Walked among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus

“As Jesus presses up against the nails to catch his breath, his raw back scraping against the wood, the teachers and elders scream at him to do a sign. They tell him that if he will jump from the cross, then they will believe him. But Jesus will have none of it. He will not turn inward and seek human glory, nor be ruled by his feelings. He says “no” to his own desires. He trusts. He loves to the end.”
― Paul E. Miller, Love Walked among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus

“rather than a spectacular display that makes Jesus famous, the miracle is an act of love, done quietly to maintain the dignity of the young couple and their family. (They would have been shamed by a public display.) Jesus makes them appear very generous by making 150 gallons of fine wine—far more than they’ll need. Because Jesus is at the party, it not only keeps going, it also gets better! God saved the best till last.”
― Paul E. Miller, Love Walked among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus

“Jesus interpreted life through the lens of his Father. He didn’t say we should love our enemies because “that’s what love does,” he said we should love because that’s what his Father is like. “He . . . sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matthew 5:45). And because the Father defines love, it is safe not to do my own will, not to follow the impulse of my good ideas, and to wait quietly for Kim on the steps. I didn’t have to be efficient, because God is a loving Father orchestrating the details of my life—even spilled crayons.”
― Paul E. Miller, Love Walked among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus

“If you follow Jesus’ teaching, your attitude won’t be, “How can you be so stupid?” but, “I know how hard it is. I do the same thing.” Jesus says we should examine ourselves and remove our own flaws before pointing out someone else’s. He wants us to see that our inner evil affects our eyesight. Our self-righteousness, our sense that “we would never do that,” distorts our vision so that the other person’s errors loom larger than our own. So when the person doesn’t listen, we just increase the volume. Honesty becomes a weapon. If you and I are both doing this, we enter a self-defeating cycle of blaming and defending. But if I focus first on myself, I break the cycle and make peace possible. Then I’m not above you, telling you to come up to my level. I’ll be asking you to join me as a person who needs mercy and help. Compassion begins by looking at the other person. Reconciliation begins by looking at yourself.”
― Paul E. Miller, Love Walked among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus

“Loving people is more important than formal religion. If there is a kink in a relationship, drop everything and go fix it. Initiate discussion—even if the problem is the other’s fault. Love always moves toward people to restore relationships.”
― Paul E. Miller, Love Walked among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus

“Yet he gets upset with injustice and hypocrisy in others when compassion is blocked. His anger is centered on others’ welfare. He also gets upset with anything that inhibits faith. The disciples blocked the faith of the little children. The money changers blocked the faith of the non-Jews. Jesus gets angry at anything that prevents love to people (compassion) or dependence on God (faith). Jesus expresses his anger vividly, but it’s always controlled. Only his eyes blaze when the leaders refuse to bless the healing of the crippled man. Even in the temple, he is focused specifically on the object of his wrath: the money changers. And his anger always does good—a man gets a new hand, children get hugged, money changers get ejected, and the temple gets quiet. His anger is powerful, controlled, and creative.”
― Paul E. Miller, Love Walked among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus

“Compassion without truth and justice is an ugly, spineless parody of love. Jesus gets angry at callousness, arrogance, and injustice. Some things ought not to be. Abuse should be corrected. Think back on a time when you have seen or experienced evil. Imagine Jesus angrily confronting that situation: “This ought not to be.” Justice satisfies. It restores sanity. It brings balance back to life. Some things are always wrong, sins against both God and other people. Deep down, we all know there is right and wrong, true and false.”
― Paul E. Miller, Love Walked among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus

“Don’t be motivated by pride or power. If you are, one day you will be brought low. Don’t think you are loving just because you are kind to people—it might be a secret way of getting something for yourself. The real test of kindness is if you give to people who can’t repay you in any way—even by telling others about how good you are. Jesus is saying that when we seek out the least enjoyable person at the office party, the person who has so little to give, God notices. God will repay us at the resurrection of the righteous for showing kindness to outcasts. In other words, the universe is connected in ways that we can’t see. The hidden behavior of love—and genuine love is usually hidden—is ultimately recognized by God. Love counts to God.”
― Paul E. Miller, Love Walked among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus

“Love adjusts to different people without losing your own identity. That is what incarnation is all about.”
― Paul E. Miller, Love Walked among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus

“Jesus doesn’t blindly follow some “rule” that prescribes how we should relate to people who are in pain. His love is not a system of do’s and don’ts that tries to shape people. Each person is different; consequently Jesus shapes his response to what the person is like.”
― Paul E. Miller, Love Walked among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus

“Legalism takes a good rule—such as “rest one day a week”—and creates a rigid system that forgets about people. Just as judging and self-righteousness block compassion, so can legalism. Legalism reinforces self-righteousness because it communicates to you the good news of your own goodness. It systematizes judging, eliminating gray areas so we don’t have to think about love.”
― Paul E. Miller, Love Walked among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus

“Jesus lowers himself in order to care, while the disciples elevate themselves in order to judge. The disciples see a blind man; Jesus sees a man who happens to be blind. The disciples see an item for debate; Jesus sees a person, a human being like himself. They see sin, the effect of man’s work; Jesus sees need, the potential for God’s work. The disciples see a completed tragedy and wonder who the villain was; Jesus sees a story half-told, with the best yet to come.”
― Paul E. Miller, Love Walked among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus