Loving without the "If."

In the book of Matthew, Jesus makes a pretty important statement, one I know I tend to overlook. One day, a group of Sadducees began questioning Jesus. After the conversation, the Sadducees were awestruck by His responses. The Pharisees wanted to challenge Him as well, so they decided to ask Him what the greatest command in the law was, secretly hoping they could attack His response by stating another important commandment. But instead of choosing one of the ten commandments, Jesus replies like this:

“He said to him, ‘Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, and with all of your mind. This is the greatest and most important command.” The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All of the law and the prophets depend on these two commands'" (Matthew 22:37).

This was definitely a mic drop moment for Jesus. He doesn’t choose one of the ten as the Pharisees expect; rather, He just says to love. Love God and love others as you love yourself. Clearly, God is trying to communicate something here. The thing is, love umbrellas over everything we are called to do, so if we love deeply and faithfully and truly then we can fulfill all that God commands of us.

“‘I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another’” (John 13:34-35).

Not only does Jesus tell this to the Pharisees, but He also lives this commandment out perfectly. We can see His love when He talks to the Samaritan woman, when He heals the blind man, when He saves the adulteress from being stoned, when He raises Lazarus from the dead, the list goes on and on—but the most important act of love He showed us was when He died on the cross to pay the price for our sins.

“God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son” (John 3:16).

We really have to understand this truth: Jesus didn’t just die for the people who praised him and made him happy; He died for everyone. He died for the people who persecuted Him and those who worshiped Him. Simply because He loves us too much. Jesus loves us so unconditionally that He doesn’t care how badly we messed up; He wants to save us all, no matter what. There is no “if” in His love.

In my life, I tend to love people with an “if”:

I’ll love you if you show that you care about me.

I’ll love you if you are kinder to me.

I’ll love you if you do this for me.

Whereas in Jesus’ life we see this:

I’ll love you.

I’ll love you.

I’ll love you.

No matter what.

When I was on a mission trip about a year ago a woman said something to me that I will never forget. “Love is the most important thing.” When I first heard this I didn't think much of it other than “of course—totally get it.” But, as I look at the life that Jesus led and all of the scriptures supporting this, I can see how this woman was right. Over and over and over again the Bible tells us to love, and Jesus showed us how. We are called to love others as Jesus loved us, with no “if.”

“Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love— but the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13).

Go spread the love!

words by Samantha Burton and photo by Arianna Taralson