Love.

It’s a four letter word filled with so much meaning. It’s all we hope and dream of having with a special someone. And as Valentine’s Day approaches, it’s what we find ourselves thinking about more often than not. Though, the media has this warped view of love. They portray it as roses, chocolates, flowers and candlelight dinners. And while all of those things are great, it’s important for us to understand what true love actually is.
The biggest example of unconditional love is God. Think about it. The creator of the entire universe loves you. Even when we mess up or curse His name or get upset with Him, He continues to love us. We constantly sin against Him and do things that we have no business doing, but He loves us just the same. He doesn’t judge us or make us feel bad about our past. He doesn’t hold things against us. And He never ever gives up on us even when we feel like we’re worthless and don’t deserve to be loved. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from, God loves you. If we can love even half as much as the way God loves us, we will be better off in this world.

Look at the word unconditional. It ultimately means that there are no strings attached. When you love someone unconditionally, you love without expectations. You love because you are in love. That’s it.

I Corinthians 13 is our blueprint for how to love. Take a look at verses 4-7 (NIV). It says, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

There are people in my life that I love, but every time I look at these verses, I find something that I can improve on. It’s one thing to say that you love someone, but actions speak much louder than words.

And to anyone who feels unlovable, remember that you already have the greatest love imaginable. God loves you. His love is the reason why He sent His only son to die for you. He didn’t think about Himself, but He chose to think about us (his creation). God loves you more than you can even begin to comprehend, and that’s reason enough to celebrate.

-Jas