This time of year, many consider their New Year’s resolution – how they will strive to improve themselves in the upcoming year. Reader’s Digest lists the most popular resolutions as to get more exercise and lose weight. But, the list of 15 are all self-focused, with the possible exception of spending more time with friends and family. Yet the stated benefit is that it is better for your health and well-being.

I recommend a more selfless New Year’s resolution – Love More. While there are tangible benefits like there is with spending more time with family and friends, the impact that you can make on the world around you is much greater.

So, how can you love more? The bible clearly states the “greatest” loves: love God, love your neighbor and love sacrificially.

1. Loving God

Jesus stated that the Greatest Commandment is loving “God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). The Gospels of Mark and Luke also include “all your strength.” So, if you think you need to get back to the gym in the new year, why not lift a Bible?

Commit to reading the Bible every day. And when you do, apply not only your mind (e.g., Jesus’ parables), but apply your heart to your reading. Proverbs speaks of the commands and teachings and to “write them on the tablet of your heart” (Proverbs 7:3).

Surely intense study will affect you, even to your soul.

2. Loving Your Neighbor

 Subsequently, Jesus stated the second greatest commandment is “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). I like to think of your closest neighbor as being the one laying next to you in bed. So, start with your husband or wife. A good place to start reading is in Ephesians 5, specifically, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21). But, don’t stop there; keep reading to learn how to better love your husband or wife. 

As we look to love those outside of our household, we should consider how we love them. It is fairly common to think about how we like to be loved (e.g., gifts or acts of service) and to love others in that same manner.

However, it takes much more effort and shows love much more deeply if you learn how the other individual feels love and focus your efforts in that manner. At times, this may feel counterintuitive, since it’s not what you would do, but it would surely have a greater impact.

And like spending more time with family and friends can have a positive impact on your health and well-being, surely loving others more will have others reciprocating. But receiving love should not be your purpose, for “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

3. Loving Sacrificially

In the Gospel of John, Jesus explained, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice was the greatest act of love for all.

Therefore, we should consider how we can sacrifice to serve (and love) others. There are many ways you can serve others that don’t require you to lose your life. You can give your time, your money or your insight.

If you’re young, you can give your strength and vigor to helping an elderly person with household chores.

If you have extra wealth – and let’s be honest, we live in America and therefore are all wealthy – we can each sacrifice a trip to Starbucks or dinner out to help someone else.

And if you have a few gray hairs, you can share your insight to someone younger. However, you’ll have to pull them away from their cell phone to do so. Or you could possibly send them a text with words of wisdom!

The Beatles famously wrote, “All you need is love.” Ultimately in America today, we could all love a little more. And one way we could love others is to “be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” (James 1:19). Be less easily offended. Consider the viewpoint of others. Then commit to loving them, even if you disagree.

This is loving God through a spirit of unity, loving your neighbor by considering them, and sacrificing your feelings or your opinion by holding your tongue. Jesus would act similarly; so, should we.