Is There an Order to Love?

Vice President Vance recently pointed out that love has an order.

It begins with family, then extends to neighbors, community, fellow citizens, and finally, the rest of the world.

Some push back against this idea, arguing that God’s love is universal and that the Good Samaritan teaches us to love everyone equally.

So, is there a hierarchy of love?

One verse that sheds light on this is 1 Timothy 5:8:

"If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."

Scripture makes it clear: we have a moral duty to prioritize our families before outsiders.

This doesn’t mean we neglect strangers—the Good Samaritan affirms our call to love broadly.

But loving faithfully does have natural priorities.

Family first, then others as we are able.

Put another way, there is both:

- Universal love: "God so loved the world."

- Particular love: "I lay down my life for the sheep."

Understanding this brings two key benefits:

- It frees us from false guilt over not being able to help everyone.

- It strengthens our responsibility to care well for those closest to us.

Love has an order.

And when followed, it ensures the greatest care reaches the greatest number of people.

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