I Love You, If...

For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) 

We all received different messages from our “family of origin” growing up. We are all products of how we were raised . . . both good and bad. Some may have received messages associated with love that were conditional—messages like, I’ll love you if you do what I ask of you; and then if you didn’t do what they asked, love was withheld. One soon learns in that environment: If I please and achieve, I am loved; if I don’t, I am not. The message of that kind of love is conditional.  

The message of unconditional love simply says, I love you, period! No conditions—I love you for who you are and will provide a safe environment for you to thrive and grow at your pace with established boundaries at each natural stage of maturity. Unconditional love gives without expecting anything back. 

Christ was, is, and will always be the quintessential example of what unconditional love looks like. He never once said to anyone, “Hey, you, go get cleaned up. Fix that problem of yours first, and then come follow me.” To the tax collector that everyone despised, he said, let’s have dinner (Luke 5:27-32). To the Samaritan woman going to a well to draw water at an inconspicuous time of day so that no one would see her, he not only spoke to her but also told her things about herself that only she would have known, opening the door for Jesus to share about the True Living Water which would allow her to never thirst again (John 4:7-26).  

Jesus exudes love because he is love! Jesus is our go-to model when we are struggling to show another person unconditional love too—because while we were sinners, he died for us (Romans 5:8). 

Lord, help me to fully grasp the depth of your unconditional love, and help me to share this amazing love with others. 

Susan Goss 
We’re Still in This 

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