When we love as Christ has commanded us to love, we love with no respect to persons.
Outside of Christ our love is conditional. We love those who say they love us, we love those who actually love us, we love those who understand us, we love those who think like us, we love those who look like us. When we love like that we’re falling short- way short.
When we love people for particular reasons we distribute love unfairly. We love someone because they do things for us, but what about the one who does nothing for us? Do we still love them the same? We love the one who loves us, but what about the one who hates us? We know Christ has told us to love our enemies and bless those who persecute us, but how?
If we love based on particulars and conditions then it makes it hard for us to love just because. We must grow beyond loving those who treat us well, and love unconditionally- which is the way God loves us all. We’ve gotten comfortable loving with conditions, and this is not pleasing to God.
We must love with no respect to persons.
We must grow to a place of loving all– regardless of how they feel about us, what they say about us, or what they do to us. None of that matters. Honestly, the more we look at the shortcomings of others the more prideful we become and the harder it is to truly and genuinely walk in love.
Instead of looking at their shortcomings, let’s look at the cross.
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
– Romans 5:8
In order to love unconditionally, without respect to persons, we must fix our eyes on Jesus. I know I’ve been saying it a lot lately, but the lesson is truly for me: The love we show to others has less to do with them and more to do with Jesus.
“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
– John 13:34-35
