Bruxy Cavey once said, “Humans long for unconditional love, but market a false self to get conditional love. Hence, our true selves are neither known nor loved.” And this is the rub of our lives. We want to be loved but we are afraid to be loved. We want to be known, but we are afraid to show our true selves for fear we will not be liked. It’s why Jesus is so attractive. He accepts us just as we are and does not condemn us (John 3:17).
He loves us not in spite of what we’ve done, but because of who He is. The truth is you will never find unconditional love on this earth. I think you can get very close with a spouse or a mother’s love for her child, but as humans, we will mess it up. There will always be reminders of how we’ve been hurt or grudges we just can’t seem to completely release.
But with Jesus, unconditional means exactly that. He never holds a grudge. He never has and never will. This means nothing you’ve done in the past, nothing you are doing now, and nothing you may someday do will ever diminish His love for you. The love of Jesus is pure and unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. He loves you not because of who you are but because of who He is. He is love and can do nothing but love, because it encompasses everything He thinks, says, and does. Its why the hearts of those of us who have experienced the love of Jesus must break for those who have not yet felt the warmth of His love and forgiveness.
Despite what our culture and society would have you believe, there is a moral standard in our universe. Jesus is that standard, and we have all fallen short of the example He set (Romans 3:23). Unless and until we can love and forgive as Jesus does, we will fall short of His standard. That falling short is called sin, a word that is increasingly unpopular in the world. But the fact remains we all sin. We all fail to love perfectly, to love as we were designed to love. We all have fallen short of His standard and therefore need His grace and forgiveness. No matter what might be in vogue at this moment, the truth and love of Jesus do not change.
Each of us was designed to love like Jesus. By loving like Christ, we glorify God and fulfill our purpose. Imagine how our world would change if every one of us practiced love like Jesus loves. Wars and violence would cease. Poverty would be abolished. Jealousies and strife would be a thing of the past. This is the world Jesus designed. It is the world which He will one day restore for those who surrender to Him. Those who do not will be left on the outside looking in. We should not wish that on anyone. Today, remember you are loved unconditionally and share that love with someone else. You are loved. Give Your life to the One who loves you most.