There are many scriptures on how Christians should treat one another, and we must remember that we are always called to act in love. As Jesus said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35, NIV). But does this mean we approve of every human action with kindness and mercy? Absolutely not!
Jesus made it clear that protecting the innocent is serious: “It would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea than to cause one of these little ones to stumble” (Matthew 18:6, NIV). At the same time, God commands us to treat everyone with love and fairness. James warns against showing favoritism in the church: “If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, ‘Here’s a good seat for you,’ but say to the poor man, ‘You stand there’ or ‘Sit on the floor by my feet,’ have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?” (James 2:3-4, NIV).
So, where do we draw the line between loving and enabling? This will always be a challenge because, as Jesus said, “The poor you will always have with you” (Matthew 26:11, NIV).
James 1:27 (TPT) says, “True spirituality that is pure in the eyes of our Father God is to make a difference in the lives of the orphans and widows in their troubles and refuse to be corrupted by the world’s values.” Widows and orphans are often poor through no fault of their own, but what about those who end up in poverty because of bad choices? Consider the prodigal son. He squandered his inheritance on reckless living, and when his money was gone, so were his friends. He became homeless, but his breakthrough came when he humbled himself and returned to his father, asking to be a servant. Instead of rejecting him, his father welcomed him with open arms (Luke 15:11-32 KJV). This is a picture of our Heavenly Father’s love—restoration comes through true repentance. If the son had refused to acknowledge his mistakes, he would have remained in the streets.
What does this teach us about our relationships with others? Paul reminds us, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age” (Ephesians 6:12, NKJV). Our fight is not against people, but against the spiritual forces that bind them. We are to love others, offering help where we can, but transformation must come from the heart. If someone repents and seeks change, we should walk with them and help them bear good fruit. But if they refuse correction and insist there is nothing wrong, Jesus instructs us to “shake the dust off your feet” and move on (Matthew 10:14, NIV).
Another powerful example is Rahab, the harlot. Despite her past, she was declared righteous because she acted in faith, helping the Hebrew spies escape (James 2:25 TPT). She left her old life behind, joined God’s people, and became an ancestor of Jesus Christ. This shows that God looks at the heart and rewards those who turn to Him.
Let’s love our brothers and sisters as ourselves, knowing that “God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them” (Hebrews 6:10, NIV). When we love as He commands, He promises to bless us richly.
