The Servant’s Heart: Learning to Love Like Jesus – Part 1

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” — Luke 19:10

One of the things that challenges me most about Jesus is that He never avoided brokenness. Wherever there was pain, rejection, loneliness, grief, or suffering, He drew near. He noticed the overlooked, welcomed the outcast, and met people with compassion, grace, and hope.

If we want to love like Jesus, we must learn to do the same.

Yet, if I’m honest, moving toward brokenness doesn’t always come naturally. Like many people, I’d rather see healing than hurt and restoration than struggle. I’ve sat with people carrying deep wounds, listened to stories of loss and heartbreak, and walked alongside those making choices that led to more pain. In those moments, I wished I could say the perfect words or offer the perfect solution.

But over the years, God has gently taught me a powerful truth: loving people does not mean fixing them.

One of the hardest lessons of servanthood is realizing that we cannot save people from every hurt or poor decision. We cannot make their choices, force healing, or manufacture transformation. What we can do is remain present.

There have been seasons when people I deeply cared about chose paths that led to heartache. I prayed with them, encouraged them, and pointed them to God’s truth, yet they still chose differently. I couldn’t control the outcome or shield them from the consequences. All I could do was continue to love them and entrust their story to God.

Jesus modeled this kind of love perfectly. When the rich young ruler walked away, Jesus looked at him and loved him (Mark 10:21). He knew Peter would deny Him and Judas would betray Him, yet He never stopped loving them. What a beautiful picture of servant-hearted love.

Paul in Galatians 6:2 doesn’t tell us to fix one another’s burdens; he tells us to carry them. Carrying a burden means coming alongside someone, listening, praying, encouraging, and reminding them they are not alone. As servants, we are called to walk with people, not control their lives.That truth gives me great comfort because Scripture reminds us that God is the One who heals.

Isaiah foretold that the Messiah would come “to bind up the brokenhearted” (Isaiah 61:1), and Jesus declared that this promise was fulfilled in Him (Luke 4:18–21). He alone brings healing, freedom, restoration, and hope.

Jeremiah speaks of the balm of Gilead (Jeremiah 8:22), a beautiful picture of God’s healing presence. While no earthly remedy can heal the deepest wounds of the heart, His peace calms our anxiety, His comfort meets us in grief, His grace covers our shame, and His love restores wounded hearts.

Our calling is not to be the Healer but to lead people to Him. Often, that simply means being present, through a conversation, a prayer, or by refusing to walk away when life gets messy. A servant’s heart chooses presence over perfection, compassion over comfort, and faithfulness over control.

As I reflect on my own journey, one question keeps returning:

Who is Jesus inviting me to move closer to?

Perhaps it’s a grieving friend, a family member who feels far from God, a young person searching for purpose, or someone whose choices have led to heartache. Whoever comes to mind, may we have the courage to draw near, not because we have all the answers, but because we know the One who does. Sometimes the most Christlike thing we can do is simply love well, remain present, and trust God to do what only He can.

Lucy Okenkali
Volunteer-Wasaidizi and Growth Teams
Gabon