In our world today, many find it easier to love pets than people. People can be unpredictable, difficult, and at times, even hurtful. So, we often pour our love into animals that don’t challenge us emotionally. Our pets seem to love us unconditionally, and that’s comforting. We project human traits onto them, believing they feel loyalty and affection as we do. Yet, the truth is, animals are loyal because we meet their needs. They depend on us, but that’s different from the complex, sometimes difficult love we are called to have for one another.
Loving people means facing the reality of imperfection and disappointment, a dynamic we rarely experience with pets. True, our pets offer affection freely, but they don’t demand patience or forgiveness, nor do they expose our own weaknesses. Loving a person, on the other hand, can sometimes be frustrating or painful. The Bible reminds us that God’s love isn’t like this; it’s selfless and patient, and we are called to love others in that same way. This means extending grace when our friends, family, and even strangers don’t always meet our expectations.
True love goes beyond convenience. It involves risk, patience, and sometimes even the courage to love someone without knowing if they’ll love us back. Learning to love in this way frees us from the transactional view of love—giving only to receive. When we understand that our capacity to love comes from God within us, we can give love more generously. So while it may be easier to love a pet, God challenges us to extend that same love toward people, teaching us to grow, mature, and experience the fullness of love that reflects His own.
