Unconditional Love

I’ve been thinking about unconditional love. You know … the kind that says I love you regardless of what you say or do. How you look. What you achieve or don’t achieve, or whether you’re good or bad. The kind of love that says I love you no matter what …

Not all, but many parents love their children without conditions. A young woman recently gave birth to a little boy—her first child. Due to complications during the delivery, it appeared the baby would grow up with severe problems. The conditions greatly improved after several days, but even in those first minutes, hours, and days, those parents spoke lovingly of their son. Their love wasn’t based on whether he had potential to ride a bike, play baseball, or even walk. They just plain loved him.

I edited a book for an amazing woman who has always been her daughter’s caretaker. The girl was born with serious medical issues. Yes, the mother initially went through difficult times, but she never stopped loving the child. Now she’s on the other side of dealing with her emotional pain and is offering support and encouragement to other caregivers. She speaks in glowing, loving terms about her little girl.

I’m blessed to receive unconditional love from my spouse and children. And I will never forget a phone conversation I had with my father many years ago. I'd made the difficult, heart wrenching, and unpopular decision to leave my first marriage. Some friends understood and supported me, but others were angry. Christian women don’t leave Christian marriages, especially when the spouse is well-liked.

Some of my own extended family members were very angry. They didn’t understand. But my dad, many states away, told me he did understand. He told me to do what I needed to, and that to remember—no matter what—he loved me. I get teary every time I think about it, even after all the time that has passed. My world was crashing in around me. During that time, I needed unconditional love more than I ever had.

People are hurting. They’re battered and bruised. Maybe they’ve made mistakes. Perhaps they’re in situations due to circumstances beyond their control.

Maybe you’re someone who needs to feel loved just because you're you. Because you exist. Not everyone receives that kind of love as a child. Some lose it along the way. But we all crave it in our deepest heart of hearts.

People may fail us. People are not always able to love in that capacity.

But our heavenly Father has, and always will love us regardless of our brokenness, stupidity, rebellion, selfishness, and meanness. God loves us if we’re overweight, underweight, or have physical imperfections. We don’t have to be perfect. He doesn’t even expect us to be.

We only have to accept his unconditional love. What a gift!

Dawn