(Un)Conditional Love?

Earlier this month, I began keeping a bullet journal. I like the ease and simplicity of it. It helps me see the things I’m doing (or not doing). With this past year and more routinely lately, I have been listening to lots of podcasts. Topics vary from leadership, to money, to personal growth, and Christian living. I’ve made it a thing I do. Recently, one of the podcasts reminded me about love.

As babies, we don’t necessarily have to do anything to earn love, do we? We simply exist, and magically, love lavishes. As Tony Robbins pointed out in the podcast, doing those same things as adults that we once did as babies has much different consequences, right? Doing nothing as adults doesn’t always result in love.

Think about it. Babies breathe in, breathe out, occasionally respond to what’s around them. Usually, it’s gas. But, still . . . They don’t have to do anything to be loved. We give them love freely.

But as adults, how does that work? Our love almost seems more conditional.

If we do not love, we would be a “noisy gong or clanging cymbal” or “nothing” (verses 1 & 2). If we do many numerous things without love, we “have gained nothing” (verse 3).

Have you looked around the world today?

I know love exists. But, man, there are times in which it seems the world is one clanging cymbal. And unfortunately, I’m right there in the middle.

Do we outwardly say, “Agree with me or I’ll hate you”? Maybe. Even if we don’t, it does seem to be a more common message than I’d like to consider. For example, I have friends with family members who were slaves. When they see the Confederate flag, it hurts them. When I see things saying, “It’s not about the flag” or “It’s not about the monument,” I have a better understanding of those things. I cannot personally fathom a collective hurt such as slavery or the Holocaust or how that would affect me. I can more easily wrap my head around PTSD and one of our beloved soldiers. Now because of friendships that I am blessed to have, I hurt for my friends when I see those kinds of reminders. I am more aware. Sadly, sometimes a “love” can be so strong that it “preaches” hate. You have to love this color and hate that one.

Did you catch that?

You have to love to hate.

What? How does that even make sense? How can a love like that be love? Truthfully, that’s not the kind of love Jesus modeled, preached, and taught.

“Man, I don’t do that.” Maybe you don’t. Maybe I don’t. Intentionally. I still believe we must be more mindful. We must be mindful of what love really is.

Love:

is patient;

is kind;

not jealous, boastful, proud, or rude;

does not demand its own way;

is not irritable;

keeps no record of being wronged;

does not rejoice about injustice;

rejoices when truth wins out;

never gives up;

never loses faith;

always hopeful;

and endures through every circumstance;

When I filter my words and actions through this “love filter,” my words and actions are not always conducive to love.

Are yours?

We talk about unconditional love. Yet, it seems our love these days has conditions. We expect certain words, behaviors, or things to show love sometimes. If those conditions aren’t met, our happiness can be affected. It’s almost like we can’t agree to disagree. We have to persuade. We have to “social media bash.” And if those things don’t work, we have to unfriend or unfollow.

I think we need to raise the bar on what love is and on what we accept as love.

Please take some time to read this. I too easily throw around the “hate” word without giving it much thought. Granted, it’s about despised baseball teams, but still . . . That word “hate” should be considered a bad word. Our world is conditional. It’s temporary. As Francis Chan says in that video (and please watch the video), our future will bring either reward or regret. I regret some of my words and actions at times.

My hope is I keep living more and more like Jesus wants me to live. My hope is we as a world will do the same. Jesus loves truly unconditionally. He loves us where we are, as we are, how we are. We just need to be open to Him.

Whether you believe in God or not, can you imagine a world that tried to emulate Jesus? Think about it. He came to serve. He came to love. He loved you so much He died for you. Jesus Christ died for Y.O.U. He died for me. He died for all of us.

That’s a love beyond comprehension. Jesus serves as a bridge to heaven.

Salvation is free. Kindness and love are, too.

To lead like Jesus, we must love like Jesus. Put yourselves around others unlike yourself. Appreciate the differences between you. Realize God made that person as s/he is just as He made you as you are. Err on growth. Err on love. Watch and see what happens.

You will grow.

You will love.

And the world will be a better place because of it.

#love #Jesus #John146 #ChooseLove #Different #ThankGod