Love Without Conditions
Loving like God loves.
What it looks like to love when it isn't returned.
The big idea
Real love doesn't keep score. It just keeps loving.
What does “Love Without Conditions” walk through?
Love Your Enemies
Matthew 5:44 · KJV
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you.
In plain English
Love your enemies. Bless those who insult you. Do good to those who can't stand you.
Not Sentimental
Loving people who love you is easy — anyone can do that. Jesus' bar is loving when there's nothing in it for you. Loving the difficult, the unfair, the unkind. That's not sentiment. That's holy resistance to becoming what hurt you.
We Love Because
1 John 4:19 · KJV
We love him, because he first loved us.
In plain English
We can love because we were loved first. The supply comes from him.
“When you love only those who deserve it, you're trading. Love that gives without expectation is from God.”
The Source
You can't love unconditionally on your own steam. You'll run out. The supply comes from God's love for you. Drink from his and pour out from there.
Pray
Father, fill me with your love so I have something to give. Help me love the difficult person without keeping score.
Write it down
Who in your life is hard to love? What might unconditional love look like there?
You finished: Love Without Conditions
Stop counting. Just keep loving. The grace you've received needs somewhere to go.
Which passages does this journey use?
2 passages, drawn from Matthew 5:44, 1 John 4:19. Every verse appears here in the King James text with a plain-English line beside it, so you can read it without a commentary open. Allow about 5 minutes for the whole thing, or 6 short sittings.
- Matthew 5:44
- 1 John 4:19
Read any of these in full on the complete KJV, or look the wording up independently at Blue Letter Bible.
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