Have you ever had someone say to you, “I’ll love you if…” or “If you will do this and this, then I’ll love you?”
Sometimes the sentiment doesn’t come in words, but it’s not hard to get the message. A little girl name Tori came home from school one day with tears in her eyes. When her father asked what was wrong, Tori said, “Amanda said she would only be my friend if I sat beside her on the bus.” A condition on friendship. We live in a world that applies conditions to almost everything, including our love for someone else.
The good news is that God does not operate this way. His love for you does not hinge on yours. You may have a lot of love but that doesn’t increase His. Your lack of love doesn’t take anything away from God’s love. If you are good, it does not enhance His love and if you mess up, you don’t dilute God’s love for you. God loves you simply because He has chosen to do so. When others abandon and ignore you; God is still loving you no matter what. In Jeremiah 31:3, God says, “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.”
How often our love for someone depends on who they are, their personality, what they are wearing, their appearance. Our love can tend to fluctuate depending on how we feel. But not so with God. We do not have what I call that ‘thermometer impact’ on God’s love for us. The love He has for you comes from deep within Himself not what He finds deep within us. He doesn’t love you because you’ve been good or kind or because you have a lot of faith.
Now, before you say, “That’s sounds like what I need, but I need to get my act together first,” I want to let you know that God’s love is available to you right now… right where you are sitting at this moment. God’s love extends to all people everywhere in every condition. God has never made a person that He does not love. He does not look at you and say, “Oops! I made a mistake on that one or that person made one mistake too many, stroke them off the list.” No. God loves you just as you are. He doesn’t make junk. He loves you unconditionally.
God loves you very, very much. You matter to Him. And do you know that God’s love will change your self esteem and how you see yourself? If you want to be confident in life, then understand that you really matter to God. If He loves you, who cares what others think. Because God loves you, you don’t have to prove yourself. We do not have to earn any brownie points first or spend so many hours in church. God loves you right now…. as you are…. but He does not want to leave you that way. He wants to change your life.
Maybe today you really need to know someone loves you. But you have become frustrated, discouraged or maybe even angry because everyone seems to put conditions on their love and acceptance of you. Wherever you are right now…. whatever you are doing, know that God loves you. Period. No conditions. No application or resumé first. He loves you because He chose to. Why not ask God to help you experience His love? If you are sincere, He will see that you do today.
This column was provided by Tri-Community Baptist Church in Beiseker.
